The Initiative for Conciliation and Right Protection (ICRP) has called for the release of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat in view of the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
Reports has it that both El-zakzaky and his wife are under detention at the correctional facility in Kaduna.
But in a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, chairman of the governors forum, Minister of Interior, Minister of Justice, Minister of Health, Controller General of Nigeria Correctional Service, and the World Health Organization (WHO), the group said El-zakzaky should be release in order not to contract coronavirus.
“With the emergence and spread of novel coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19), a Public Health crises is threatening the world with an exponential rise in figure of infected individuals and an increasing number of death world wide.
“Nigeria has recorded 139 confirmed cases with 2 deaths, and over 4000 contacts yet to be traced.
“Looking at Nigerian Correction centres, there is high level of prison congestion and Covid-19 is highly contagious in nature.
“Considering the inadequate resources to manage this deadly virus in this country, we call on the government to release all prisoners that are on bail, the elderly, those with chronic illnesses and all prisoners of conscience like Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife,”
Malama Zeenah Ibraheem. Taking into cognisance their age and barrage of debilitating health conditions they are already battling.
We will like to commend the Federal Government, Federal Ministry of Health, NCDC and other agencies on there efforts towards curtailing the deadly disease.
We will like to use this opportunity to call on the general public to stick to the NCDC guidelines on prevention and contact dedicated lines of NCDC should in case one developed recurrent dry cough, fever, difficulty breathing and being in contact with individual with travel history from countries with high rate of the infection.
The letter joindly signed by Dr Abubakar Yahaya (For the Medical Department, ICRP), Barr Hassan Bala, Esq, Barr Netochukwu Nwokolo, Esq, Comrade Godwin Ekoja and Prince Adelaja Adeoye, said. The group said infected individual coughs or sneezes, hand shakes, and being in close contact with infected person, and that over 80% of people infected may not show the clinical symptoms which may be able to spread the disease in an exponential rate.
“Mortality rate is higher in people above 50 years of age with associated co- morbidities like hypertension, chronic obstructive airway diseases, diabetes and that is why we want El-zakzaky release,” the group added.
