'2015 Bullets Still In El-Zakzaky, Wife’s Bodies' - Falana

Mr Femi Falana (SAN), the lawyer to detained leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Mallama Zinat, has said they are still carrying the pellets of bullets allegedly shot at them in 2015.

This is even as a Kaduna State High Court yesterday adjourned ruling till August 5 on the application for permission to travel for medical attention by El-Zakzaky and his wife.

The IMN had filed an application for permission to travel to India for medical attention, hinging the application on its leader’s “failing health”.

The court, presided over by Justice Darius Khobo, adjourned ruling on the application till August 5.

Falana, who addressed reporters after the hearing, said his clients were in dire need of medical attention as they had not been given adequate medical care since their detention in 2015.

He said the pellets of bullets had been in the bodies of the detainees since the December 2015 incident in Zaria, Kaduna.

Expressing concern over the continued deteriorating condition of his client’s health, including the alleged loss of an eye, Falana said there is urgent need for them to travel abroad for medical care.

“In fact, he was not in court because his health had gone very bad. Even during 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 it was granted.

“The pellets in their bodies had resulted to lead poison and they need to be urgently removed by highly professional medical personnel,” he said.

The activist lawyer expressed confidence that the court would grant his clients the permission to travel for urgent medical care.

Counsel to the respondents (Kaduna State government), Mr. Dari Bayero, who also addressed reporters, said the adjournment followed the arguments of both parties on the application.

The lawyer said his team had examined the eight medical reports by Nigerian and foreign doctors and argued that there are medical facilities in the country to handle the medical needs of the IMN leader and his wife.

According to him, they argued that there are several medical facilities in the country that can handle the medical needs of the IMN leader and his wife.