By COLLINS NNABUIFE, Abuja

The leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky has said that some bullet fragments are still in his body and that of his wife.

The cleric disclosed this during a press conference in remembrance of the killings of his members in 2016.

“My wife has a full bullet (lodged in her body) which they have been unable to remove here except as instructed, outside the country. In addition to that, she has for the past five years been chair bounded; she could only walk using a wheelchair and even prays sitting on the same chair.”

“Myself, I have fragments of bullet which scattered all over my body and have secreting poisons like lead, cadmium and other poisons. And with the recommendation of doctors here, including government-owned doctors, I need ‘Chelation therapy’ which will remove the poisons; but the fragments also have to be removed, which they (doctors) say cannot be removed here because of their microscopic nature,” he said.

He said they expected that at the time they were released, it will be a matter of a week and they will be chanced to go out for medical attention.

“But up till now, they (those in authority) have not allowed us to do that. Of course, after about two months or so, I had my first interview with Press TV directly through Skype with their headquarter in Tehran which was aired, and of course, so many press releases which our people have been releasing from time to time giving you update about the issue of our passports, our health and so on."

On the Zaria massacre in 2016, El-Zakzaky said,

“We remember the Zaria massacre, which happened six years ago exactly. It happened on 12th, 13th and 14th of December 2015 – three days consecutively, the soldiers in the Nigerian army have cordoned Zaria town, all the roads leading to the town; and they carried systematic killing of people they consider unwanted; whatever name they gave us, at that time they were said to be clearing people they call “Shiites”.

"In fact, in Gyallesu (my residence in Zaria) they were asking whomever they want to shoot; is he Shia? And the crowd will say yes, and they will fire! And if the crowd say No, they would allow the person. So, clearly, they were destroying Shia once and for all.

“On 14th of the same month, they reached me and open fire on us; I and my family, instantly killing three of my sons in front of my presence, and injuring both my wife, myself and some others who were with us.

“Luckily enough, for the wisdom of God, we don’t know why, but He so designs that my wife and myself will survive a shooting that nobody can survive at all!

Furthermore, he said:

“On 15th December (exactly a day like this) they brought us to Abuja, first to the military hospital, and later at 12 am midnight (that would be 16th of December) they moved us from military hospital to DSS hospital for some time, and then they kept us in their custody for some years, and then took us back to Kaduna (still in their custody); and finally, they took us to prison, and as you all know, at the end of the day, the court found us innocent and discharged and acquitted us in the same way three different courts have discharged and acquitted so many others who were arraigned before them for similar charges (as ours).

“I find that up till today if I am reading some newspapers, they will say: El-Zakzaky and his wife were arrested following a clash between his followers and the Nigerian army when his people block the road on the day the chief of army staff was passing.”

“This matter was taken to court, they have accused some people of blocking the road, including ourselves- they say we instigated the blockage; and then about 153 others were all arraigned before different courts for the same charges; blocking the road, causing this and that, about eight charges- including the murder of a soldier.”

He said Islamic movement is a concept, and it is an idea.

“Whoever is making a move to see Islam restore its glory is part of the Islamic movement whether he calls himself Islamic movement or not. And Islamic movement has no members, it has only active people- activists (not members). Hopefully, I explain this clearly,” he added. (Nigerian Tribune)

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