Kaduna State government has given conditions to be met by Shiites leader, Mr Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, before they would be allowed to travel to India for medical treatment. 

In a statement issued in Kaduna, yesterday,  Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, said though the state government will appeal the Kaduna High Court ruling allowing El-Zakzaky to travel to India for treatment, it will not seek a stay of execution because it believed that people should have access to treatment.

Leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and his wife are facing an eight-count charge, including culpable homicide punishable with death.

He was granted leave by court to travel to India for treatment.

Some of the conditions set out by the state government include: Confirmation of his appointment with the hospital by ministry of foreign affairs; an undertaking by the defendants to produce two prominent and reliable persons as sureties, one being a first class chief/emir of national repute and the other a prominent person within Kaduna State who shall undertake to produce the defendants whenever they are needed.

Other conditions are that  “the Federal Government of Nigeria shall obtain from the government of India an irrevocable guarantee that it will not entertain any application by the defendants/applicants or any third party seeking asylum under any guise or conferring the status of political prisoners or any other status aside from being  medical patients on the defendants/applicants and shall also restrain the defendants/applicants from any act inimical to the corporate existence of Nigeria.

The government also wants each of the defendants/applicants to undertake, in writing, endorsed by their counsel, that while on medical treatment in India, they shall not do anything to jeopardise ongoing trial, the peace and security of Nigeria and laws of the Republic of India in whatever form.

Sun