The leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shiite, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, around 6:45 pm on Monday left the country to India for medical check-up aboard Emirate flight.
Men of the Department of State Services (DSS) the Nigeria Police had laid siege to the International wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja from 1:30 pm to about 3:30 pm for the arrival of the embattled IMN leader who came into the airport around 3:00 pm via the Kaduna -Abuja rail service into the international wing of the airport.
Refuting reports that El-Zakzaky had travelled earlier in the day via a chartered aircraft, an Immigration officer who spoke to the Guardian under the condition of anonymity disclosed thatEl-Zakzaky was scheduled to leave the country around 6 pm via Emirate air.
“Nobody has seen the Shiite leader,” the immigration officer said.
“We are aware that he is here at the airport, you can see the heavy presence of security personnel. But nobody is currently allowed to see him. I can tell you El-Zakzaky is here at the airport and he will be travelling on an Emirate plane around 6 pm.”
An official of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, who also spoke under the condition of anonymity, said El-Zakzaky was wheeled into the airport under heavy security guard and was kept in the DSS office briefly before he was moved to the boarding hall through the escalator.
The aircraft conveying the IMN leader, Emirate flight EK786 departed Abuja airport around 6:45 pm en route Dubai to Mumbai.