Send El-Zakzaky to us for treatment, Iran tells Nigeria

Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja

The Prosecutor-General (Attorney-General) of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammed Montazeri, has asked the Federal Government of Nigeria and the judiciary to allow the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Shiekh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, to come to Iran for medical treatment.

According to AhlulBayt News Agency, an Iran-based news organisation, Montazeri said this in a letter on Saturday.

The Iranian official also called on the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man, to grant bail to El-Zakzaky who is the leader of all Shi’ites in Nigeria.

Montazeri also criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the crisis, adding that El-Zakzakky’s current medical condition had become a source of worry.

The letter read in part, “I, as the prosecutor general of the Islamic Republic of Iran, urge the Nigerian judicial authorities (to take steps) in line with their judicial independence and support for a captive citizen, and provide the ground for his release and transfer him to the Islamic Republic of Iran for treatment.”

Sheikh El-Zakzaky, who is in his mid-sixties, lost his left eye when Nigerian government forces raided the northern town of Zaria more than three years ago.

The raid started after Shi’ites refused to allow the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen Tukur Buratai, to ply a road.

His wife also sustained serious wounds while more than 300 of his followers and three of his sons were killed in the violence that ensued.

The cleric has been kept in custody along with his wife and a large number of his followers ever since.

El-Zakzky’s followers have for the last two years been holding protests mainly in Abuja, calling for his immediate release.

In recent time, the protests have become more aggressive leading to the deaths of Shi’ites, security officials and innocent Nigerians caught in the crossfire.

On Monday, a journalist, Precious Owolabi, who was a National Youth Service Corps member, was killed by a stray bullet while a Deputy Commissioner of Police also lost his life.

Iran, which is the stronghold of the Shi’a Muslim faith, has been demanding the release of El-Zakzaky for over three years despite reports that the Office of the National Security Adviser has asked for Iran to withdraw support for the Shi’ite leader.

Back in 2016, Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court ordered his unconditional release from jail following a trial but the government has so far refused to set him free.

El-Zakzaky’s legal team has long called for his release, saying he is suffering from health issues that require urgent medical care abroad but the state high court in Kaduna has denied the request.

Another bail hearing is expected to take place on Monday, July 29.

NNPC to recover N1.9tn from JV partners

Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu

The Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation has commenced the process of recovering over $7bn (N1.4tn) in over-deducted tax benefits from joint venture partners on major capital projects.

It was learnt on Sunday that the corporation had also engaged an international accounting firm to ascertain the exact amount due to government on the Strategic Alliance Contracts entered by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, where up to $2.46bn (N484.6bn) of government money would be recovered.

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Igbo has best appointment under Buhari – Keyamo

Mr. Festus Keyamo

In this interview with ENIOLA AKINKUOTU, human rights lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, speaks about President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments

You are from the South-South. Why have you come out to defend President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments which are largely in favour of the North?

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Activities at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Finance were almost paralysed on Monday as officials from the National Industrial Court, Abuja Division, stormed the building to enforce a court judgement.

The officials, led by the Bailiff, NIC, Abuja division, Mr. Donatus Okwor, entered the building to enforce the court judgement which was delivered on February 19 last year.

The court had ordered the Ministry of Finance to pay compensation to some workers of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs whose appointments were said to have been unjustly terminated.

The court officials, it was learnt, arrived the building and were making plans to confiscate property belonging to the ministry which would be commensurate with the compensation ordered by the court, when security operatives prevented them from doing so.

The development resulted into commotion which made the security agencies to shut the gates against guests who had business transactions to carry out in the ministry.

Speaking on the development, Okwor said the finance ministry had deliberately refused to obey the court judgement by paying the claims which run into millions of naira.

He said, “Actually, there is a judgement delivered by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria against the Federal Ministry of Finance and Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs which specifies that they should pay the claimant a specific amount of money, whom they have dismissed from work.

“Since February 19, 2014 till now, they have refused to pay the judgement. So, we are here to execute the court judgement.

“Once it comes to execution of judgement, there is no way we can go back except if there is any motion pending, but as we speak now, there is no pending motion which will warrant the defendants not to pay the money.

“For now, they refused to pay the money and obey the judgement of the court.

“Since we are here to execute the judgement, once that is done, we will go back. Whenever they are ready within the time limit, they should come and pay the judgement sum and take back their vehicles or whichever items we can seize from the ministry.”

Attempt to get the ministry officials to speak on the development proved abortive, as repeated calls put to the spokesman for the ministry, Mr. Marshal Gundu, were not answered as of 7.10pm when the story was filed.

The court officials were still at the premises of the ministry as of the time of filing this report.

Welcome to Rev4mation's world: Lagos to recover 250-acre Ikorodu land

Welcome to Rev4mation's world: Lagos to recover 250-acre Ikorodu land: The Lagos State Government has ordered the state Taskforce on Environment and Special Offence Unit to recover 250 acres of land in Gber...

Lagos to recover 250-acre Ikorodu land

The Lagos State Government has ordered the state Taskforce on Environment and Special Offence Unit to recover 250 acres of land in Gberigbe, Ikorodu, allegedly taken over by a land grabber.

It was gathered that the land was given to a family for farming in the 80s by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.

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Toyota launches new generation seven-seater Fortuner

Toyota has unveiled a second generation of its famous sport utility vehicle, Fortuner, riding on the global success of the outgoing model.

The 2016 seven-seater family SUV was unveiled simultaneously last week in Australia and Thailand. No date has been fixed yet for its launch in other markets, including Nigeria.

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