Confirmed Dead From Nigerian Army’s Clash With Shiite Muslims in Kaduna

Nigerian Army yesterday confirmed it had a violent encounter with members of the Shiite Islamic faith, in which the sect claimed that seven of its members were feared killed and 20 grievously wounded in Zaria, Kaduna State.

While the Army accused the Shiite followers of attempting to assassinate Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, the Islamic movement said soldiers simply made a decision to attack “defenseless people”.

Sheik Muhammad Turi, the second in command to the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheik Ibrahim Zakzaky and the group’s spokesman, Ibrahim Usman have been killed by soldiers.

The statement further said the sound of explosions coming from the direction of the sect members, who had women in front, compelled the soldiers in the convoy of the Army Chief to respond, in a bid to protect their principal and those in his convoy including journalists. He said an unspecified number of persons were killed in the attack.

Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, who confirmed this in a statement, said that hundreds of the sect members took over and barricaded the Zaria road and opened fire on the convoy of Buratai as well as advanced towards hum with risky weapons. Shi’ia said its members were allegedly attacked by soldiers during a ceremony meant to celebrate the new month and birth of Prophet Muhammad. “But we have taken the matter to the appropriate authorities for necessary legal action because we can not allow such unlawful acts to continue”, he stated.

“The leader of the sect, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky is leaving his home to where the soldiers are”.

“They lied to have said we attacked them, nobody attacked them, they were the ones that first stormed our headquarters with truck full of soldiers, sealed off our headquarters on a day we were supposed to change our flag and started shooting and killing our people”.

Also killed was Sayyid Aliy, the son of the leader of the Movement, Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky (H), the wife of the Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky (H), Malama Zeenat Ibraheem and tens of other members as more are being killed as at the time of this release.

The blockade was a result of a clash on Friday with members of the Darika sect in Gatsari area of Zaria, a report said. “The situation in Zaria is calm now”.