Lawyer to the detained leader of Shiites in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaki, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, said on Monday that his clients, El-Zakzaky and wife Zinat, were in dire need of medical attention.
Particularly, he said that El-Zakzaki’s deteriorating health is ‘very bad.’
He told reporters after Monday’s hearing that his clients had not been given adequate medical care since their detention on December 14, 2015.
Falana expressed concerns over the “continued deteriorating condition” of El-Zakzaki’s health, who he said had already lost an eye and about to also lose the second one if nothing is done.
According to him, pellets of bullets are still in his clients’ bodies since 2015 and need to be removed.
He explained that the IMN leader was not in court because his health was “very bad,” noting that even during the last appearance, he could not climb the staircase to the courtroom.
“That is why we applied that he be excused from appearance in court and was granted.
“The pellets had resulted to lead poison and need to be urgently removed by highly professional medical personnel, ” Falana said.
He expressed the hope that the Court would grant El-zakzaki and his wife permission to travel for urgent medical care.
Earlier, Justice Darius Khobo of Kaduna State High Court, had adjourned to August 5, ruling in the application for permission to travel to India for medical attention filed by El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zinat.
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria leader and his wife applied for medical bail, citing poor health while in detention.
Counsel to the respondents, who is also the Kaduna State Director of Public Prosecution, Mr. Dari Bayero, also spoke with reporters shortly after the court hearing in Kaduna.
Bayero said the adjournment was sequel to the argument put forth by counsel to both parties on the application.
He said that his team had examined the eight medical reports by both Nigerian and foreign doctors that accompanied the IMN leader’s application.
According to him, they had argued that there are several medical facilities in the country that can handle the medical needs of the IMN leader and his wife.
Justice Khobo had granted the request of the Kaduna State government to review and respond to El-Zakzaky’s bail application.
NAN
