They said he was on the brink of death. As a result, his followers, members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) took to the streets. They didn’t want their spiritual guide to die in detention when there is a chance he can be saved. These protests against the detention of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky took a dangerous turn recently. They used to be in Kaduna State, but today they have infiltrated the nation’s capital, Abuja. They are looking for attention. They prefer to protest before the “king”. And that came with a heavy toll. Some members of IMN have been killed for different reasons on different occasions by different security organisations.
The table began to turn when they attempted to invade the National Assembly. in the process, many properties were damaged, some were torched. Some even reported more than injury or property damage but deaths. It didn’t take long before a senior police officer, a journalist and others were killed. Allegations and counter allegations forced the Federal Government to obtain a court-order proscription of the IMN. Today, they are branded as a terrorist organisation. This action jolted many, but also caused panic within El-Zakzaky’s circle.
We also learnt that as a result of the way events moved since the destruction at the National Assembly, some people and countries decided to intervene. They intervened to arrange some kind of bail for the leader of IMN. It is a sick bail, an opportunity for him to travel abroad. It looked inviting really. But it appeared both the government and the Islamic leader had other plans. First, on his way out of Nigeria, El-Zakzaky had a mouth guard. He was wheeled to the airport and looked or acted very sick. But pictures from India later showed that the man was not as ill as it was presumed. He stood, conversed with his hosts and generally looked healthy. He looked completely different from the picture that was painted of him by his followers. He also looked remarkably different from the El-Zakzakky we saw on a wheel chair as compared with two days after while in India.
To confirm that most of the reports and claims about ill health, solitary confinement and horrible prison environment were fabricated, the sheik in his own words over the weekend said: “I have been four years in prison now; a house fully furnished. In fact, our next neighbour was the senate president; a large house. I was kept to move about. Similarly, when they moved me to Kaduna I was in the best area-government reserved area. It is a house fully furnished with large bedrooms and I was free, I have never been in detention with police there; in fact, the soldiers used to stay outside at the gate. That is what they have been doing. When we came here (India) we were put in Prison.”
But even in India, he was accused by government of plotting to seek asylum since he made contacts with lawyers who in reports suggest were going to begin legal proceedings that will have him stay permanently there as a “legal alien” or taken to another country. Government also alleged that he had begun to contact non-governmental organisations to try to put pressure and internationalise his problems with Nigeria.
The aim probably is to find a way to enter Iran. Of course, IMN has denied these allegations. They said instead that it was government who tried to stall the medical trip by insisting on stringent procedures.
It appears IMN forgets that the man is still under custody. The court only asked that he be taken for treatment, which the government obeyed.
If he was really sick, he will not have requested to be brought back and his confession that he was well treated in the country has shown that recalcitrance has no status. Yet again, we cannot continue like this. There should be a time for forgiveness and healing. While we have consistently frowned at the activities of IMN, we think that whoever the people are that helped broker some understanding between the Sheikh and his country should go a step further to broker a lasting resolution. We think that it is time for all hands to be on deck in developing the country. IMN must be prepared to lose something, just like the country too.
