Nigeria soldiers killed hundreds of Shiites in raid

“Human Rights Watch interviewed 16 witnesses to the killings and five others, including local authorities, who said that Nigerian army soldiers fired on Shia Muslim members of the group at three locations in Zaria, in northern Nigeria”.

“The Nigerian military’s version of events does not stack up”, the organization’s Africa director, Daniel Bekele, said in the report.

“The most unfortunate thing is that the bodies of our members were cremated and buried in mass grave without allowing their families to give them befitting burials. At best it was a brutal overreaction and at worst it was a planned attack on the minority Shia group”.

“It is therefore presumptuous and clearly out of context for anyone to make such unsubstantiated allegations or comments”, said Usman.

THE Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, hasassured the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of a professional investigation into the recent deadly clashes between the Army and Shiite protestors.

Last week, the Nigerian government set up a judicial commission to investigate the deaths. The army says it acted after Shiites tried to block the convoy of Nigeria’s army chief – a charge the Shiites deny.

Usman called the incident “unfortunate”, adding: “It is important to note that over the years this group (Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) led by Zakzaki) has subjected ordinary citizens using public roads to untold hardship, delays, threats and disruption simply because they insist on using public space irrespective of inconvenience and hardship on other law abiding citizens and motorists”.

He however said the lawmakers would find a way of reaching the sect leaders in order to meet them soon to hear their own side of the story.

Between raids and suicide bombings, Boko Haram has severely damaged infrastructure in Nigeria’s impoverished northeast at a time when the commodity-dependent country is facing a cash crunch thanks to plunging oil prices.