SAN FRANCISCO, October (THEWILL) – The Islamic Movement of Nigeria has alleged that about 50 of its members were killed on Monday along the Nyanya-Keffi expressway by officials of the Nigerian Army.
A member of the group, Mohammed Gamara added that about 200 others were injured.
“So far, I don’t have the exact number of the casualties and the martyrs but if we say they are more than 50, killed by the Nigerian Army, I don’t think I will be exaggerating,” Gamara said.
The sect members were said to have clashed with the security operatives while they embarked on a march in Abuja on Monday.
The incident led to a gridlock which lasted for hours along the Nyanya-Keffi expressway forcing many to make their way by foot.
Witnesses said the Shiite protesters attempted to break a barricade of Nigerian soldiers around the flyover in Karu.
While some of the deceased died after being rammed by cars driven by panic drivers, most of them were hit by Nigerian soldiers’ bullets, which they reportedly rained on the protesters.
The entire Karu axis was on lock down since 4:00 p.m. after the violence broke out.
It also comes about 24 hours after members of the sect held a similar march along the Nyaya/Mararaba axis of Nasarawa State, on their way to Abuja.
On Saturday, three members of the sect were killed after a clash with troops of the Nigerian Army.
According to a statement by the Commander of the Army headquarters Garrison, Major General James Myam, the clash occurred on Saturday afternoon at Zuba bridge in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
He explained that the sect members, who were supposedly in a procession, set up an illegal roadblock along the route, which the convoy of the troops attempted to clear.
While doing so, General Myam said some members of the group attacked the troops who were escorting missiles and ammunition from Abuja to the Army Central Ammunition Depot in Kaduna State.
In defence, the troops opened fire on the IMN members which resulted in the killing of three of them.
THEWILL recalls that Nigerian security agencies have consistently clashed with Shiite members since December 2015 when hundreds of Islamic Movement of Nigeria members were massacred by Nigerian soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna State.
A judicial panel which investigated the killings indicted Adeniyi Oyebade, a major-general, and other military officers for their role in the large-scale murder of at least 347 IMN faithful.
Ibrahim el-Zakzaky, leader of the IMN who was arrested following the 2015 killings of his members, has been held in custody ever since, despite repeated court orders for his immediate release.
The military denies wrongdoing in the massacre, which is currently being investigated by the International Criminal Court for potential prosecution.
