Shiite leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky has lost his eye

The rumour making the round that leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky has lost his eye to the December clash between members of the movement and a detachment of the Nigerian Army was yesterday confirmed by his lawyers.

Counsels to the movement, Barrister Festus Okoye and Maxwell Kyon on Wednesday addressed a world press conference in Kaduna to inform the public that Sheikh Zakzaky has dragged the Army and other security agencies involved in the clash to the Federal High Court.


The lawyers who explained their ordeal before and during their meeting with Shi’ites leader said, Zakzaky and his wife were not in good condition.

According to Barrister Kyon, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky has completely lost his left eye, while his right eye is partially affected.

Kyon who also disclosed that Zakzaky’s wife, was shot thrice in the abdomen said, the Shi’ite leader and his wife were subjected to all forms of inhuman treatment by men of the Nigerian Army.

In his words, “We met with Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky at DSS custody. Initially, the SSS guys wanted to stay with us while we discuss with him, but we insisted that we must see him alone. Later they maintained a reasonable distance and we were able to speak with him.

“He told us how the soldiers invaded his home and how they killed his followers. In fact, he told us that the soldiers after killing many outside, forced their way into his house, opened the door and meeting them inside, they closed the door again and started shooting sporadically at their direction.

“He told us that, they would have killed him in the process, but his followers formed a shield around him and his wife, preventing many bullets from reaching him and the wife. At the end, all those that protected them died.

“The Malam and his wife also sustained bullet injuries. The wife was shot thrice in the abdomen, while one of the bullets hit Zakzaky on his left eye,” he narrated.

Talking about medical treatment given to Zakzaky, Barrister Kyon said: “against the speculation that the IMN leader was flown abroad for treatment, Malam told us that he was never taken out of the country.

“He told us that they were only taken to 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna. And there, he said his wife was not given any form of anaesthesia, some soldiers just held her and forcefully removed the bullets from her abdomen.

“The only place they were flown to for medical treatment apart from Abuja was Lagos, where they were trying to make sure his remaining eye sees clearly.” He explained.

However, Kyon said that, as at the time of the Counsels’ visit to El-Zakzaky, he could not identify them clearly, except with the help of his wife who was helping him to identify the visitors one after the other.

“In fact, we went with a member of the movement whom the Malam was very familiar with, but on getting there, he could not identify the person. That goes to show you how bad his vision has become.” He explained.

source: nigerianeye