Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Prison authorities in Kaduna say Zeenat El-Zakzaky, wife of leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, never contracted COVID-19.
The Nigerian Correctional Service says result of a test on Zeenat, who has been in detention alongside her husband in Kaduna, showed she tested negative for COVID-19.
The test was conducted in collaboration with Kaduna state government, her personal physician and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
“Happily, the test result has been released and the inmate, including her contacts have no trace of COVID-19 virus,” said Francis Enobore, national public relations officer for NCoS.
“It is important to state with emphasis that Zeenat El-Zakzaky never contracted COVID-19 infection as was alleged.”
Her son had earlier announced she tested positive after a visit by her personal physician and a test.
It prompted groups to call for the release of the couple amidst concern about possible flare up of infection among inmates.
Prison authorities denied knowledge of her condition, insisting they were “not convinced with the purported infection story”.
A court order to move her to a government hospital within the state capital was overturned before a second test.
El-Zakzaky and his wife have been in detention since 2015 after some of his followers clashed with soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna.
El-Zakzaky is standing trial over allegations of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, disruption of public peace, among other charges.
Their stay at the correctional facility in Kaduna started after the couple returned from a botched medical trip in India.
admin
