A heartfelt call from Mohammed Ibraheem Zakzaky

6 days ago after a routine visit to the Kaduna State prison by my parent’s doctors, my mother complained of fatigue, fever and a complete loss of the ability to smell. The doctors decided to carry out a number of standard tests in order to understand what the problem was. Among the tests that were carried out was a test for the novel corona virus also known as Covid-19. This was a routine procedure and it is important to understand that she has been denied treatment for acute medical conditions including severe arthritis of the knee for years now.

The Covid-19 test came back positive. I imagined that due to the diligent way in which the prison management had been conducting and managing the facility, a Covid-19 outbreak would be extremely unlikely. Because we have been doing our own due diligence and taking all possible measures at all times, we imagined that they were safe from the clear and present danger of Covid-19.To the best of my knowledge the prison authorities have also been doing the same. Except perhaps the occasions where members of prison staff have demanded to stick their fingers in their food, if not paid the odd 1K or 2K or some other form of standard routine extortion. A practical reality of life in Nigeria.

Once I heard of the result my first act was to ensure that it was tried, tested and confirmed. I expected that following our risky entrance into the predictable petri dish of Kaduna State prison for what it is; the person in charge of Kaduna State prison will officially do his job. And must inform the State Governor Nasiru El-Rufai and the chain of command that the current campaign of torture, extortion, corruption and murder has come to this and my mother Zeenah Ibraheem needs to be immediately hospitalized. This has not been done and so I have no choice but to scream the details out.

This is how it currently stands:-

On day 0/Zero. This most horrific news was delivered to the deputy controller of prisons (DC) and his most immediate superior (CP). He granted unrestricted access for all medical staff to deliver primary care to my mother, Zeenah Ibraheem.

On day 1/One The Medical Team was harassed and pestered to throw all caution and care, or risk threats to their persons, their families and their personal Integrity. During their efforts to deliver immediate primary care.

On day 2/two apparently the order came down on the controller of prisons (CP) to test again. The thorough and diligent efforts of all the many professionals who have done their job is not enough. The test result must be tested again. And so we did. Because apparently they want to test the veracity of medical results that were from the same labs following the same protocols.

On day 3/three my mother Zeenah Ibraheem is yet to be hospitalized. Instead there seems to be a commotion of people bent on using the COVID-19 virus as an assassination tool.

I want to ask; why is my mother not in a hospital? Why are you doing this? We all know that Covid-19 requires an immediate response of urgent adherence to medical advice. Why are the rules being bent against her and him? By her I mean my mother Zeenah Ibraheem. By him I mean Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.

On day 4/four The Idea of follow appropriate protocol as the rules might require. Recognize that you don’t have to soil your hands in the same pit as the Evil trio. As an inaugurated, certified and confirmed, member of the hit squad that can kill people on command, I say this: this is not a joke.

On day 5/five at the 11th hour I am completely helpless and powerless to do anything to save My mother who is currently infected with Covid-19. If the same is true for my father I will not be able to do anymore.

Today is day 6/six since I heard about the outbreak. This is the Nigeria in which I was born, This Is the Nigeria in which I live, This is the Nigeria in which my brothers have been murdered, this is the Nigeria where you will never be allowed to take care of even your own mother.

From Day 0 the medically required procedure has been to:

1)The testing of all primary contacts associated with the positive patient, who is in this case my mother, Zeenah Ibraheem. And also my father’s primary contact. 

These have been done.

2) Attend to the Medical Necessity that requires the immediate Hospitalization of all positive patients in this case my mother Zeenah Ibraheem.

This disruptive plague is not a joke. It has not disappeared, it will not miraculously disappear and it is not a conspiracy theory.

My mother is still in Kaduna prison at the moment, she is yet to be hospitalized, she is yet to receive proper health care.

Mohammed Ibraheem Zakzaky.

Follow the #FreeZakzaky campaign here.