Dr Abubakar Yahaya, one of the personal physicians of Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Malama Zeenah, has described the comments attributed to the Attorney General of Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on their health status, as falsehood.
In a statement in Abuja on Monday, Dr Yahaya, took on the country’s chief law officer over his less than truthful comments.
“I am writing this on behalf of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife Malama Zeenah Ibraheem to set the records straight.
“Contrary to what Malami claimed, there are indeed fresh evidences confirming that both are still suffering from several health challenges of great concern, as could be testified by the results of their routine medical tests, which have been carried out on a regular basis since 2018 (after the Sheikh had his first stroke, upon which the DSS finally allowed access to their own Physicians for the first time), and continued through the 2020 and 2021.
“We have the necessary documents to back that up.
“The tests conducted in 2019 were not just alleged nor exaggerated, but actually conducted by government-approved health institutions, indicating the two to be suffering from ailments that are by their nature still of emergency and life-threatening situations, as confirmed by Medical Professionals from within and outside Nigeria—including those presented by the DSS.
“In fact, the latest medical reports (24th September 2021) have been recently reviewed and listed up to eleven (11) multi- morbidities of great concern that are still being suffered by Sheikh Zakzaky, viz: Ischaemic heart disease; Left ventricular hypertrophy; Left and right thalamic Stroke; Cervical/ Lumbar spondylosis with radiculopathy; Left eye anophthalmia; Right eye advanced-progressive glaucoma; Benign prostate hypertrophy; Heavy metal poisoning of Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd); Penetrating forearm soft tissue injuries; Metallic foreign bodies following multiple gunshot injuries (up to 55 pellets that are currently still embedded, not extracted from the Sheikh) on the scalp, orbital, left forearm and left lateral/thigh; and Dyslipidaemia.
“Experts from within and outside Nigeria have described such an expanse of multi-morbidities without proper interventions can be a highly life-threatening situation (medical report and full evidence of findings are available).
“His wife Malama Zeenah in her latest medical report (24th September 2021), is also indicated to be suffering from a combination of eleven (11) multi-morbidities of great concern too, viz: Long standing uncontrolled hypertension; Severe degenerative bilateral osteoarthritis of the knees rendering her completely wheel chair bound for the past 4 years and requiring total knee replacement surgeries Penetrating soft tissue bullet injury; Recurrent episodes of severe acute abdominal pains attributed to the foreign body; Gastritis; Hepatomegaly of unknown cause; uterine fibroid with cystic degeneration; Left sphenoid arthritis; Dyslipidaemia; Right breast Lumps with regional lymphadenopathy; and Right renal cyst (medical report and full evidence of findings are available),” he said.
He said a professional clinical expert brought by the Department of State Services (DSS) has similarly connected some of the ailments being suffered by the duo as attributable to the heavy metals.
“It is thus very disturbing and extremely inhumane that the two are still being forced by the authorities concerned to remain in Nigeria, where no comprehensive interventions for such a clinical toxicology solution in presence of all the listed co-morbidities are available,” he said.
Yahaya stated that the DSS, the court and other relevant authorities are aware of their deteriorating health situation.
“It was in fact due to the above medical findings in 2019 that the Kaduna High Court eventually ordered for both of them to be flown for proper surgical and medical interventions.
“The professional team of doctors, including those sent by the DSS and the Kaduna State Administration then, confirmed Shaikh and his Wife to have up to 8 and 6 serious illnesses, respectively.
“It is also a fact that efforts to offer them the required clinical interventions in India were completely thwarted and they were returned to Nigeria by the security agents that travelled along with them.
“Ever since their return from India, none of the required interventions has been administered to either the Sheikh or his wife, and this remains the case to this day.
“Despite efforts by personal doctors, their health situations in respect to the said co-morbidities are increasingly deteriorating, thus still in URGENT need of getting those clinical interventions outside Nigeria, as was originally and is still being recommended by experts,” he said.
According to him, contrary to the false claim by Abubakar Malami that none of their doctors carried out any tests, especially by the two mentioned doctors in particular, tests were actually conducted by government approved clinical laboratories indicating fresh findings (AKTH/ Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in 2020 and Synlab Abuja in 2021), which has not changed any of the requirements for having the same clinical/surgical interventions that were recommended for both of them way back in 2019.
He explained that all efforts to make the latest medical arrangements for both Zakzaky and wife have been stalled so far by their lack of international passports.
“Provision of their travel documents is indeed a necessary requirement in the countries where their specific surgeries and treatments are to take place, in accordance with recommendations by all the medical experts that have so far examined their cases.
“In fact, the claim by Malami that there is no urgent need for the couple to seek medical treatment abroad reinforces the fact that he is involved in denying them their passports and re-issuance of new ones.
“The agent provocateur should note that with or without health challenges, both Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife have the right to own Nigerian passport and travel anywhere they like.
“It is part of their rights, unless Abubakar Malami (the saboteur) is a law unto himself,” Yahaya said.
