Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, has reacted to claims of receiving N3.5 million monthly for feeding from the Federal Government.
El-Zakzaky said he and his wife, Zeenat, never received any money from the Federal Government while incarcerated.
Addressing journalists, the Shiite leader said he and his wife fed themselves all through their incarceration.
According to El-Zakzaky: “Throughout our stay in Abuja, we were feeding ourselves, but we could not say because we were feeding ourselves illegally. Legally, they were supposed to feed us but they didn’t want anybody to hear that we were feeding ourselves.
“All through the five years and seven months we were in detention, we were feeding ourselves, nobody gave us a bottle of water.”
El-Zakzaky was arrested in December 2015 and he spent over five years in detention.
The IMN leader was arrested for allegedly attempting to assassinate the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Butatai (rtd) in Zaria, Kaduna State.
El-Zakzaky’s followers had attacked Buratai’s convoy in Zaria. This led to the arrest of the Islamic leader after security forces stormed IMN’s headquarters and killed about 350 people.
There was a delay before the Shiite leader was released, despite court rulings.
In December 2016, Justice Gabriel Kolawole-led Federal High Court, Abuja, had granted El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenatudeen bail.
Justice Kolawole also fined the Federal Government N50 million for the incarceration of the duo.
In 2019, the Kaduna State High Court granted El-Zakzaky and his wife bail on health grounds.
However, El-Zakzaky has since been released from detention.