Court grants El-Zakzaky, wife access to medical care in custody

The High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered the Kaduna State Government to avail leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife Zinat, access to medical care, while in custody.

Justice Gideon Kurada gave the order during resumed sitting on the case against the duo and two others namely: Yahya Yakubu and Sanusi Abdulqadir.

Kurada, who accepted the withdrawal of charges against Yakubu and Abdulqadir, standing trial alongside El-Zakzaky also adjourned the case till March 25, 2019 for hearing on the amended charges.

They were charged for alleged conspiracy and abetting culpable homicide, among other offences.

But counsel to the defendants, Femi Falana, said his clients were in dire need of medical attention, as they had not been given adequate medical care since December 14, 2015 when they were detained.

“El-Zakzaky lost an eye and is in the process of losing the second one because it has developed glaucoma. In the case of his wife, the bullets on her had not been totally extracted,” Falana said.

While expressing hope that their medical condition would improve before the next adjourned date, Falana added that doctors would determine where to treat El-Zakzaky and his wife, and the type of medical care they would require.