Reports reaching PRNigeria from India shows that the Hospital has agreed to the request of Sheikh El-Zakzaky to use known and appointed doctors for his treatment.
In a new video tape made available to PRNigeria, the representative of Islamic Human Right Commission(IHRC) said the issue in contention has been resolved and that El-Zakzaky should go ahead to receive treatment with Doctors that were earlier appointed by him
PRNigeria had earlier carried a report to the effect that El-Zalzaky had refused treatment from unknown doctors arranged to treat him and the wife aside those billed and booked to treat him before his departure from Nigeria.
Recall that El-Zakzaky had refused treatment from unknown doctors put in place to treat him in India aside those billed and booked to treat him before his departure from Nigeria.
A member of the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) who spoke to PRNigeria via an audio tape said that the attitude of the Indian government has portrayed El-Zakzaky as a common criminal when no court in Nigeria has convicted him.
The source said that the Indian government gave Elzakzaky an ultimatum to leave Indian soil if he refuses to receive treatment from unknown doctors billed to treat him.
“I just received a very worrying news from the Indian government that an ultimatum has been given to the Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria(IMN) to leave India if he does not agree to the doctors specified to treat him. From the way that he is being treated is extremely bad”, the IHRC representative said.
“Under the current situation, it seems he has no choice other than to go back to Nigeria. He has been given hours to respond to their ultimatum. This is to me is totally, utterly unacceptable by any standard, either international standards or Indian standards or that of humanity”, the IHRC chief said.
He further noted that “This is a man that has not been found guilty of anything to the extent that in his own country, the highest court has granted him permission that he should be treated. The Indian government by their behavior depicts Sheikh Elzakzaky as a common criminal. This is really outrageous and those who stand for justice should please respond.”
In a statement by a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Culture,, Grace Isu Gekpe, the federal government indicated its intention to continue El-Zakzaky’s trial on his return.
The government’s statement read: “The Court on 5th August, 2019 granted Sheikh Ibraheem EL-Zakzaky leave to travel to India for medical treatment.
“Consequently, the Government and its relevant agencies took steps to comply with the order.
“In line with the court order, El-Zakzaky was approved to embark on the trip with state officials and his choice to be accompanied by his aides and personal doctors was not opposed by the government.
“On 12th August, 2019, he and other members of the entourage went to India via Dubai. It is to be noted that El-Zakzaky particularly chose Medanta Hospital, India. However, on reaching Dubai, El-Zakzaky began to display ulterior motives against laid down procedures.
“He requested that his passport be handed over to him but the state officials would not budge to his pressure. The situation became worse in India as he refused to subject himself to preliminary medical checks.
“In addition, he demanded free movement and access to visitors of all kinds as well as requested to be allowed to check into a 5-Star Hotel instead of being admitted in the hospital. The request was refused on the ground that he came into the country for medicals and not as a tourist (more so that his Visa was issued on medical grounds and not for tourism). He also demanded that Police protection be withdrawn from him by the Indian authorities.
“Against medical ethics and standard practice, he requested to nominate doctors of his choice to join the ones tasked by Medanta Hospital to perform medical treatment on him and his wife. This created a stalemate, which the hospital insisted that he would not dictate to it on the choice of medical personnel to carry the required medical treatment.
“Frustrated by his antics, the Indian authorities have expressed willingness to return him to Nigeria with immediate effect. This is on the account that they will not allow him use their country to internationalize his group’s activities.
“Against this background, the Nigerian government wishes to commend the stand of the Indian Government as well as apologize to her for the unruly behaviour of El-Zakzaky. Similarly, the attention of the public and indeed the international community is hereby drawn to these unfortunate developments.
“The government also wishes to use this opportunity to affirm its readiness to undertake the prosecution of El-Zakzaky through due process if and when he is returned to the country. On this note, his foul cry that he is being held in circumstances worse than he was in Nigeria should be disregarded.”
Reports by PRNigeria
