About six years after the December 2015 attack on him and his supporters by soldiers in Zaria, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, says that there were still some bullet fragments in his body and that of his wife, Zeenat.

He also pledged to continue with philanthropy, saying that giving free food is necessary to eliminate hunger in the country.

A statement issued on Thursday by the Vice President (Media Forum of IMN), Abdullahi Usman, said that El-Zakzaky spoke when he received some pastors who came on solidarity visit after his acquittal by a Kaduna State High Court.

They also came to thank him for the food he had been giving to Christian widows whose husbands were victims of insecurity.

The visit came two months after the court verdict, having spent almost six years in detention.

Usman said, “El-Zakzaky said giving out food items to the needy is nothing, as he will continue giving out food to the needy.

“He also called on the people to be kind to the needy to eliminate hunger in the country.

“Sheikh El-Zakzaky who narrated some of his ordeals and that of his wife during the attack on him by the Nigerian Army in December 2015 and his detention in DSS custody despite their health condition, said that their recovery was a miracle.

“The Sheikh reiterated that up till that day, there were some bullet fragments in his body and that of his wife. He also thanked the Christian clerics for the visit.”

While describing the pastors as his “brothers in humanity,” the Sheikh said that he would have loved to meet more people but for health reasons and the insecurity in the country.

Among the delegation were Pastor Yohanna Buru from Kaduna; Rev. Titus Ishaku from Baptist Church in Jos; Rev. John Ahmadu from Abuja; Rev. Peter Audu from Abuja, Rev. George T. John from Kaduna and Pastor Julius Audu.

Buru who said that they were overwhelmed and excited by the solidarity visit.

He said that, in the last four years, thousands of people in the state had benefited from the kind gesture of El-Zakzaky.

Ahmadu said that before meeting the Sheikh, he had a different view about Muslims and Islam, adding that he was happy to hear some words of unity from the IMN leader.