El-Zakzaky Seeks Alternative Arrangement or Return to Nigeria …Receives Indian Minority Minister

The leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, remains uncomfortable with the arrangement made for his treatment and accommodation in India and would prefer to return to Nigeria, Shiite spokesman, Ibrahim Musa, has said on Thursday.

He said the Indian Minister of Minority Affairs, Mr. Muktar Abbas Naqvi, who is also a Shia Muslim, visited El-Zakzaky at the Medenta Hospital in New Delhi in a bid to “ease the difficulties he was facing."

Musa pooh-poohed the position of the federal government that the Shiite sect leader demanded to be put in a five-star hotel, retain his international passport and was mixing up with unapproved visitors, saying government’s position was a “blatant lie.”

The group had accused the Indian government of conniving with the federal government to bring new doctors other than the one they had prior arrangement with to treat el-Zakzaky.

Following his initial protest, the Shiite leader was granted access to his doctors of choice who had begun the process of restoring him and his wife to good health.

In a chat with journalists, the Spokesman of the group, Ibrahim Musa, said el-Zakzaky was still insistent that he either had an alternative arrangement or he returns to Nigeria.

“Well, up till now (evening), we are yet to get any update as regards the situation. As at this morning, the sheik was saying that it is either he has an alternative or he comes back home because the Nigerian Government officials have shattered all the arrangements so far made,” he said.

Musa said the Indian minister visited to see areas of intervention.

“There was a meeting with the Minister of Minority Groups in India this afternoon so we are yet to get the details of the meeting. We only saw pictures where they shook hands.

“The minister of minority groups is also a Shia Muslim. He came as a representative of the Indian Government,” he said.

On federal government’s position in a statement it issued Wednesday night regarding el-Zakzaky’s demands, he said government was economical with the truth.

“It was just a blatant lie presented by the permanent secretary, ministry of information. The sheik also reacted to that via video message,” he said.