El-Zakzaky, wife sue FG over passports seizure, demand N2b damages
Zakzaky’s wife Zeenah Ibrahim
Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenah, have dragged the Federal Government to the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the seizure of their international passports by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
In the fundamental rights enforcement suit no FHC/ABJ/CS/230/2021, filled by Femi Falana (SAN), El-Zakzaky and his wife told the court that their passports were last seen in the possession of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), which later denied the allegation.
They reportedly attempted to renew the passports through the Immigration, but discovered that the documents had been flagged by the DSS. Falana said: “All official requests to the DSS to remove the restriction have since then been ignored.”
However, the prosecution counsel prayed the court to compel the two respondents to release the passports to his clients or lift the restrictions on their passports.
The court was also requested to enforce the fundamental rights of the plaintiffs “to freedom of movement and an order of perpetual injunction stopping the respondents from further harassment and intimidation of the plaintiffs.”
El-Zakzakys also prayed the court to mandate the respondents to pay them N2 billion as general and exemplary damages for the violation of their rights to freedom of movement, fair hearing and property.
In the absence of any court order, the seizure of the passports, they argued, constituted a threat to their lives, since they had been denied the opportunity to seek medical attention overseas, as recommended by their physicians.
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