We’ve not communicated with El-Zakzaky since India return – Family

The family of the detained leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has said that they have not communicated with him since his return from India.

A member of the family Badamasi Ya’akub, in a statement on Tuesday said they have not had any contact with their leader since the failed medical trip in India.

The statement which debunked the earlier statement by the DSS, said “No phone contact has been had with Sheikh Zakzaky since their return from the aborted medical trip in India. Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky receives no daily newspapers of any kind at any time regularly or irregularly.

“With certainty, I can say that the last time he saw a functional Television screen was in his house in December 2015 before it was attacked and demolished by the 1st division of the Nigerian Army. As for the gymnasium and other 5-star level amenities mentioned by the service, all, if any, are paid for by Zakzaky himself.

“We have been extorted and exploited to keep our flesh and blood as safe as much as we can. But the straight truth is that they can’t read newspapers, they have no access to TV, it takes mountains of hurdles for us to see them, and we pay a ransom worth of money to just send medical supplies through.

“Critically, there is no phone. Every time an arm of the administration claims to have spent a certain amount; it is more than over thrice what we have spent,” he said.

He rejected the 15th of November statement released by a public relations officer of the State Security Service (SSS) in which justifications were offered for the continued illegal detention of what they referred to as notable Nigerians.

He said, “With the names of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, Col. Sambo Dasuki and Omoyele Sowore were specifically mentioned. The claim is that the SSS runs what can be best described as 5-star level of accommodations of international standards, for its illegally detained detainees; at the detainee’s explicit request.

“Detention centres that are preferable to all forms of correctional centres; designed to host alleged criminals. According to them, these imprisoned individuals have food and water provided by their families. Gymnasium facilities to exercise with and keep in shape. This is not true.”