El-Zakzaky Returns to Nigeria: Vows to Continue Mission

In a significant development for the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), its supreme leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah, have returned to Abuja after spending five months in Iran for medical treatment.

The Shi’ite leader was warmly welcomed by thousands of jubilant supporters upon his arrival at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport before proceeding to the grand reception at the Moshood Abiola Stadium.

Addressing the crowd, Sheikh Zakzaky expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and provided updates on his health status, stating that he is “better than before,” though he may need to return to Iran for further treatment in six months.

He also shared experiences from his trip, including his meeting with Ayatollah Ali Khomeini, which seems to have strengthened his resolve to continue his work in Nigeria.

Despite previous governmental opposition, Sheikh Zakzaky remains determined to carry on with his mission, emphasizing that “nothing has stopped.

” He highlighted the resilience of the movement in the face of adversity, as it continued its activities even during the “eight years of tyrannical rule” under the previous regime.

The Sheikh and his wife’s return to Nigeria marks a pivotal moment, as it is their first major public appearance since being acquitted by the High Court of Kaduna State of all charges in 2021.

The couple’s arrest in 2015 followed an attack by the Nigerian Army on their residence, which resulted in the tragic loss of about a thousand of their followers, including family members.

After enduring nearly six years of detention, the couple’s freedom in 2021 and the subsequent return of their travel documents in October 2023 by the federal government enabled them to seek the necessary medical treatment abroad.

As the post-El-Zakzaky era begins in Nigeria, it remains to be seen how the political landscape will be impacted by his return and the continued efforts of the IMN.

In the meantime, the grand reception in Abuja serves as a powerful symbol of unity and determination among his supporters, marking a new chapter in the nation’s socio-political narrative.