The leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Mallama Zennah, have sued Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) over its refusal to release their international passports.
The couple, who listed the NIS and its Comptroller General as 1st and 2nd defendants respectively, prayed the Federal High Court, Abuja, to enforce their fundamental right.
In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/22/2022 and filed by their lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, dated and filed on January 11, El-Zakzaky and his wife said they have the right to freedom of movement as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution and the African Charter of Human and Peoples Right.
They prayed the court to declare that the refusal of the NIS to process their travel documents to enable them travel abroad is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.
The matter is yet to be assigned to a judge.
Meanwhile, a statement by a member of IMN, Yahya Soje, said it is no longer news that El-Zakzaky and his wife are suffering from various health issues since their encounter with the Nigerian Army in 2015.
“After returning from their failed medical trip to India, their passports and travel documents was collected by State Security Services and was not returned till their landmark win in Kaduna high court last year.
“The couple has been trying to leave the country to get the urgent medical attention they need.
“An official letter was reportedly sent to the DSS for the release of their travel documents, but the DSS claimed they are not in possession of the passports.
“All other attempts to get their passports have proved abortive.
The couple then approached the Nigerian Immigration Service to have new passports issued for both El-Zakzaky and his wife, Mallama Zeenah.
“However despite providing all the necessary documents required for the issuance of new travel documents, including paying all required fees, the Immigration Service refused to issue new passports to the couple.
“After exhausting all other available options, the couple decided to take the Nigerian Immigration Service to court for violating their fundamental human rights and infringing on their rights to movement and own moving property,” the statement read.
