Gov. El-Rufai speaks on Lai Mohammed’s claim of El-Zakzaky’s 3.5m monthly feeding

Governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai of Kaduna state has stated that a
monthly amount of N3.5 million was not entirely spent on feeding the
detained leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, Sheikh Ibraheem
El-Zakzaky as claimed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai
Mohammed.

The Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, was recorded in a video that
went viral, claiming that the government spends N3.5m monthly on
El-Zakzaky's feeding.

However, speaking while hosting the management of media outfit in
Kaduna, El-Rufai explained how the Nigerian government spends about
N3.5 million on a monthly basis to cater for El-Zakzaky since December
2015.

He explained that the Information minister's claim was right but
lacked details on how the money was being spent.

According to him, the N3.5 million was not spent on the feeding of the
Shi'ite leader alone but on everything related to his protective
custody.

"The N3.5 million monthly feeding on El-Zakzaky is not only about his
food, but other expenses on security men attached to him. The security
men are permanently stationed with him, they surround where he is
kept," he explained.

He said El-Zakzaky is being guarded by a detachment of soldiers and
DSS operatives who live in the place he is being kept, and are also
being taken care of by the government.

El-Rufai also said the IMN is an illegal group that is not recognised
by the Nigerian government.

According to him, "He (El-Zakzaky) is in custody because he is facing
murder charge which is not bailable, among other charges.

"As a government, we decided to proscribe Islamic Movement in Nigeria
(IMN) of which El-Zakzaky is the president because it is not
registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

"So any procession in the name of IMN is illegal, as far as Kaduna
State government is concerned."

The Shi'ite leader has been in detention since December 2015. This
followed the clash between members of the IMN and the convoy of
Nigeria's army chief, Tukur Buratai in Zaria, Kaduna state

He was charged with murder in May 2018, despite an earlier court
ruling in December 2016 granting him bail. The Nigeria government
refused and has kept him in detention.

El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah, were denied bail by a State High
Court in Kaduna recently.