By ABUBAKAR YAHAYA

On the 22nd of November, 2021, various newspapers, including The Nation and LEADERSHIP, published a statement made by the spokesperson of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) in which various false assertions were made concerning Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenah Ibraheem. The untrue and misleading assertions are a result of the guilt in which the AGF, Abubakar Malami, has been enshrouded. 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 them access to their own Physicians for the first time), and continued through the year 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 of 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 Shaikh) on the scalp, orbital, left forearm and left lateral/thigh; and Dyslipidaemia.

Experts from within and outside Nigeria have opined that 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 also of 24th September, 2021, is also indicated to be suffering from a combination of 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).

Furthermore, a professional clinical expert brought by the DSS has similarly connected some of the ailments being suffered by the two as attributable to the heavy metals (report available).

In order to avert the life-threatening situations for both the Sheikh and his Wife, many of the above listed co-morbidities are still requiring various types of surgical interventions, which were previously recommended and even planned for by experts; unfortunately, none is yet to be conducted.

Well established international standards (WHO, CDC, ATSDR, MSF–full references available) have recommended that interventions for such kind of multiple gunshot pellet conditions (even without the above listed co-morbidities), always require the extraction of all or most of the bullet fragments first, before any conventional chelation therapy commences by expert clinical toxicologists in a competent clinical setting, without which the release of heavy metals in to the blood and neurologic systems of the Shaikh and his Wife is bound to continue recurring.

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.

While they are still suffering, only the traditional therapeutic efforts remained accessible to the Shaikh on his heavy metal poisoning for over 2 years now, despite which the lead level is still found to be high in a recent serum sample (tested on 13th October 2021, lab-report available), thereby re-affirming the overall conditions to remain still life-threatening.

All the above are well known by the DSS, the court and all other relevant authorities. 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 abroad for proper surgical and medical interventions.

The professional team of doctors, including those sent by the DSS and the Kaduna State Administration then, confirmed the Shaikh and his Wife to have up to between 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, with respect to the said co-morbidities, are increasingly deteriorating, thus it is still in URGENT need of getting those clinical interventions outside Nigeria, as was originally and is still being recommended by experts.

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.

All Efforts to make the latest medical arrangements for both Shaikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and Malama Zeenah Ibraheem 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 is a law unto himself.

•Dr. Abubakar Yahaya wrote on behalf of Sheikh Ibraheem Ya’qoub Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenah Ibraheem.

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