El-Zakzaky to file fresh court case demanding treatment in either Turkey, Malaysia or Indonesia

ISLAMIC Movement of Nigeria (IMN) leader Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky is planning to file a fresh legal suit demanding that he be allowed to go abroad for medical treatment following the recent botched trip to India.

After winning an earlier legal battle, on August 12, Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife flew to Medenta Hospital in New Delhi, India, for medical attention. However, constant bickering and disagreements between the IMN and the Nigerian and Indian authorities got in the way, forcing the Shiite leader to abandon the trip and return to Nigeria.

Upon arriving, Sheikh El-Zakzaky was taken back into detention but he now intends to approach the courts again and ask to be allowed to go abroad again. Apparently, his lawyers are fine-tuning strategies for the filing of a fresh application to enable the sheikh seek medical attention in either Turkey, Malaysia or Indonesia.

After spending over three years in the custody of the Department of State Services, the cleric and his wife, Zeenat, were scheduled to see the doctors for treatment of glaucoma and lead poisoning, among other health issues, on the orders of a Kaduna State High Court. However, the cleric returned to the country barely four days later, accusing the federal government of interfering with the treatment, noting that he was not allowed to see his preferred doctors.

In a video, Sheikh El-Zakzaky said he was discussing the options given to him with his wife when security operatives asked him to prepare to leave for Nigeria. Abubakar Abdulrahman, the coordinator of the Free El-Zakzaky campaign committee, said that the application for the IMN leader’s medical treatment overseas would be filed when courts resume after their current summer break.

He added: “The application has not been filed because judges are on vacation, but the Sheikh will meet his lawyers soon.” In Nigeria, the 2019 annual vacation of the judiciary which commenced on July 8 will end on September 13, while normal court activities were expected to resume on September 16.

Femi Falana Sheikh El-Zakzaky's lawyer confirmed that he was due to meet his client soon but said he was not aware that the court vacation was responsible for the delay in the proposed overseas medical trip. He added: “I will likely see him this week but I am not aware the court vacation was responsible for the delay.”