Nigeria military killed hundreds of Shiites

Activists say Nigeria’s military has killed hundreds of, perhaps as many as 1,000, Shiite Muslims in what the country’s top human rights protector is calling a “massacre”.

The Nigerian army arrested Ibrahim Zakzaky, head of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), during a raid at his house in Zaria, a town in Kaduna state on 12 December.

Human rights activists placed the number of casualties anywhere between hundreds and a thousand, describing it as “a massacre, “Associated Press reports”.

The army said troops attacked sites in Zaria after 500 Shiites blocked the convoy of the army leader in Nigeria, and attempted to kill him on Saturday.

“The sect numbering hundreds carrying unsafe weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres”, an army statement said.

The military raids on Zakzaky’s home and spiritual centers in two other areas in Zaria began hours later.

The incident sparked worldwide outrage and prompted a probe by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) on the role of the army during the killings. He also said that Zakzaky’s home was destroyed.

“While this was going on, recall I said we had just seen off the president in company of the CP, I got a report from my commanders in Zaria of what was happening and of course, I started racing to the scene to find out exactly what was happening”.

According to a recount by the military, efforts made by officers to persuade the Muslim Shiite members to make way for Buratai were resisted.

Movement spokesman Ibrahim Musa said the military retaliated with “indiscriminate killing”. He alleged that wounded people were being denied medical treatment by the blocks.

“World Assembly of Islamic Awakening offers condolences to the martyrs’ families and wish Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Awakening Movement in Nigeria and his respected family and other victims of this painful incident speedy… recovery”, the statement added. Tukur Buratai, to a military function at the Nigerian Military Depot.

Iranian media reported that Rouhani had called Buhari to promptly act on the issue and “not allow a small matter degenerate into a bigger one”. In 2009, the erstwhile leader of the Boko Haram sect, Mohammed Yusuf, died in police custody sparking violence in the northern region and eventually led to a bloody insurgency after the emergence of Abubakar Shekau as leader of the sect.

Iran condemned the attack on Monday and summoned Nigeria’s representative there, according to its state news agency.

The Shiites two weeks ago suffered a suicide bombing by Boko Haram extremists that killed 22 people.

“Unlike the Sunni Muslim, the Shi’ites believe that the application of Islam must be total pointing out that in most cases do not feel comfortable sharing the same space with those whom they call unbelievers”.

But the sect members regrouped at Tudun Nupawa where many of them were said to have engaged the police in a shootout, leading to injuries on both sides.