El-Zakzaky discharges self from Indian hospital, DSS expecting cleric

Barely 96 hours after landing in New Delhi, India, for medical treatment, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, has discharged himself from the Medenta Hospital and is expected to arrive in Nigeria on Friday (today) morning.



El-Zakzaky was flown to Medenta Hospital in New Delhi alongside his wife, Zenaat, on Monday for medical treatment for an undisclosed ailment.



He had however complained about the situation in India, saying he was caged and not allowed any freedom.



The Chairman of Free El-Zakzaky Committee, Abubakar Abdurahman, said on Wednesday that the IMN leader might be brought back to Nigeria if the condition of the hospital did not improve.



The President, Media Forum of IMN, Ibrahim Musa, confirmed to one of our correspondents that El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, left New Delhi around 5pm Nigerian time.



The 8,080-kilometre journey by air from India to Lagos, according to travelwatch.com, will last 10 hours and 34 minutes.









But it was, however, learnt that the plane conveying the Shi’ites’ leader and his wife, would make a stopover in Addis Ababa before proceeding to Nigeria.



But another IMN source told The PUNCH that as of 8.31pm on Thursday, the Shi’ites’ leader had yet to leave India.



It was gathered that the IMN leader would return to the DSS custody where he and his wife were being held since 2015.



Musa in a statement blamed alleged interference by the Federal Government for the scuttling of the IMN leader’s planned treatment.



It said, “Following lack of breakthrough in the impasse that ensued in the treatment in New Delhi of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, it is now confirmed that the Sheikh is on his way back to Abuja.



“In a video message sent through his office, the Sheikh said it was decided that they would be taken to the airport to be flown back to Nigeria. He has left Delhi by 17:00 Nigerian time (on Thursday). He prayed that may be the best option in the circumstances.









“The Nigerian government’s interference and scuttling of the whole process rather than supervision as ordered by the court is the direct cause of the impasse.



“The government never wanted the medical leave in the first place and did whatever to stop it by all means possible.”



The Federal Government had earlier refuted El-Zakzaky’s allegations, stating that he attempted to violate the conditions of his treatment by making unreasonable demands, including insisting on lodging in a five star hotel in New Delhi with free access to all manner of visitors.

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