leader of the Shiite Islamic sect, Ibrahim El-zakzaky

leader of the Shiite Islamic sect, Ibrahim El-zakzaky

 

Nigerian govt has spent N133 Million feeding El-zakzaky, an ‘innocent’ inmate

By the time the Nigerian court sits in January 2019 to once more hear the case of the leader of the Shiite Islamic sect, Ibrahim El-zakzaky versus the Nigerian government, El-zakzaky would have spent 38 months in the prison custody and not less than N133, 000, 000 would have been spent to feed the inmate.

Whether the inmate actually consumes about N115, 000 worth of consumables every single day is a story for another day.

That amount is enough to procure core science equipment which are lacking in Unity Secondary Schools across Nigeria, for at least 60 government secondary schools. The sum is also enough to procure some chemotherapy machines for at least one government hospital in Abuja or elsewhere.

The 65-year-old leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) el-Zakzaky, and his wife were arrested in Zaria in December 2015 after a clash between the sect members and Nigerian military.

And going by the revelation by the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, that the government spends N3.5 million monthly to feed the inmate, Nigeria would have spent up to N133 million to feed the inmate.

It would be recalled that the court at several times has ordered the government to release El-Zakzaky. This infers that the government has spent that humongous amount detaining someone who is presumed innocent.

Lai Mohammed spoke to journalists in Abuja on off-record mode, revealing that the government spends N3.5 million per month feeding El-zakzaky. Oak Television erroneously broadcast the scoop and made it public. But the medium has apologised to Muhammed, over the video.

Shiites under the auspices of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) have continued to demand for the release of their leader and exhumation of their members allegedly maimed, killed during the Nigerian Army-Shiites clash in Zaria and buried in mass grave in Kaduna, North Central Nigeria.

A member of Free Zakzaky campaign committee, Abdulhamid Bello, made a call at a press conference in Kaduna.

Speaking on “Two Years Horrendous Zaria Massacre And The Continued Detention of Sheikh Zakzaky”, Bello said the need to exhume its members who were killed by the army was for them to proper identify and bury them in accordance with Islamic rites.

“It is unfortunate that in the last two years, the Islamic Movement has continued to be persecuted and denied our religious rights.

“But we have compiled a detail report of everything that happened and submitted to the International Criminal Court at The Hague. They have since announced that they have opened preliminary into the matter.

“We call on the international community, especially the United Nations, European Union, African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the ICC to add more pressure on the government to live up to its responsibilities with regards to the issue of Islamic Movement and Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky in particular or be convicted,” he said.

 

Editorial Chief, Nigerian Bureau

Kings UBA is a Nigerian journalist and writer. I have reported for major local and international news organisations. I write satire. In 2017, I started contributing stories primarily to Discover Africa News Network. I can be reached on editorkingsuba@gmail.com. I currently manage Discover Africa News social media handles