By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, has disclosed that federal government spends heavily just to feed detained leader of Shiite Muslims in Nigeria, Mr Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
In a video circulating on social media, the former spokesman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said not less than N3.5 million is used to feed Mr El-Zakzaky.
An analysis by Business Post indicated that the Nigerian government must be feeding the Shiite leader with food worth N112,903 per day.
Mr El-Zakzaky has been in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) for over two years and despite being granted bail by courts of competent jurisdiction, the man has been held captive by the Nigerian authorities.
Few days ago, members of Shiite group in the country staged a protest in the nation’s capital, Abuja, but they were shot at by the military, leading to deaths of some of the demonstrators.
In the video, Mr Mohammed, while telling newsmen in a chat that he was speaking off record, said, “The issue of whether, where he (Mr El-Zakzaky) is, at least let’s keep it off record, that he is in a residence and you know eating at the…
“It costs the government about N3.5 million every month to feed him.”
Speaking further, he said, “Honestly, don’t quote me, but these are the facts.”
“So please, we don’t want to inflame passion. The issue is a very sensitive matter. But that is the situation. The Islamic Movement of Nigeria is a different kettle of fish,” he said further.
