Nigeria: Shia chief granted bail on health grounds

By Abu ‘Adnan

LAGOS Nigeria (AA) - A Nigerian High Court on Monday granted bail to a prominent Shia figure to travel abroad for medical reasons, amid mounting pressure on the the country's leading Shia body.

The court allowed Ibrahim el-Zakzakyto travel to India, barely one week after the government banned the activities of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria following weeks of deadly clashes over el-Zakzaky's continued detention.

Following claims by his lawyer that el-Zakzaky's life was in danger that he suffered health complications arising from his detention, the court in Kaduna state made the ruling on the condition that the Shia leader be accompanied on the trip by government officials and secret police operatives.

El-Zakzaky has been detained since 2015 after his followers blocked the convoy of Nigerian army chief Yusuf Buratai in Zaria, a town in northwest Kaduna State and center of Shia in the country.

Different courts had at various times granted bail to el-Zakzaky, but the government said he was still being held on charges not related to those for which he was granted bail.

The government is yet to comment on the latest bail, although sources say he might be allowed to travel on medical grounds and on return be made to sign a pact with the government to avoid further confrontation with security forces in exchange for his freedom.

Over 350 Shia members died in an army crackdown against the group in 2015. Dozens were also killed in recent weeks in violent clashes with the police in Abuja.