Indian Shi’a Group Bankrolls El-Zakzaky, Wife’s Medical Bills
An Indian-based Muslim group, Anjuman e-Haideri, has taken up the responsibility to bankroll the foreign medical bills of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN)’s leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Hajiya Zeenat
The Islamic group, in a letter signed by the General Secretary, Mr. Bahadur Naqvi, and addressed to the Managing Director and Chief Surgeon of Medanta Hospital, Dr Naresh Trehan, offered to foot all the medical costs incurred by El-Zakzakys while being treated in India.
A copy of the letter, dated August 12, 2019, said: “Maulana Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky, who is a prominent Shi’a Muslim leader having a large following worldwide, will be treated in your hospital.
“The Executive Committee of Anjuman e-Haideri, Jor Bagh, New Delhi, by the direction of our Chief Patron, Maulana Kalbe Jawad Naqvi, has decided unanimously to bear all the medical costs incurred in India for his treatment. Kindly consider our request, do the needful and oblige.”
Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife, as well as some members of his family, flew out of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Monday (August 13) night, aboard Emirates flight to India, where they are currently undergoing treatment for multiple health conditions.
On arrival Tuesday morning, the duo were received by medical doctors and wheeled into Medanta Hospital, New Delhi to immediately commence their treatment.
Aged 66, El-Zakzaky is suffering from Ischaemic heart disease, chronic hypertension, right eye severe visual impairment with progressive open glaucoma, mental toxicity, lead poisoning, among other illnesses.
Following the ruling of Kaduna State High Court, which ordered that they be allowed to travel, the Governor Nasir el-Rufai-led Kaduna government had listed some very stringent conditions for El-Zakzaky and his wife to meet before they could travel out of the country.
However, insiders said the Presidency’s intervention effectively put paid to the so-called conditions, which paved the way for the trip undertaken by the ailing couple on Monday.
According to confirmed reports, they were accompanied on the trip by some officials of Kaduna State government, operatives of the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Department of State Service (DSS), among others security personnel. – With agency reports
