Two police officers and a trader were killed around Wuse Market, Abuja, yesterday during a fresh clash between the police and members of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiites.
It was learnt that the IMN members were on an ‘Arbaeen’ demonstration to commemorate the 40th day after its Ashura anniversary.
The police command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had, on July 16, said it banned all forms of protests by IMN members and prohibited the group from carrying out its planned Ashura procession.
Yesterday’s clash was also said to have left five other policemen injured and three patrol vehicles burnt.
This is as the IMN said police officers attacked and killed several of its members.
The slain trader, whose name was given as Amiru Sani, was said to be shot in the chest while running for his life when the police officers chased Shiites close to Chateau De La-Rey in Wuse Zone 6.
Three of the five injured officers, who were rushed to District Hospital at Wuse Zone 3, were said to be unconscious as of yesterday evening.
This is not the first time the Shiites and the security operatives would be clashing in Abuja.
Some of the previous clashes had happened during processions held by Shiites in protest against the detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.
On July 28, 2021, a Kaduna State High Court acquitted El-Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat, who were detained in 2015 after a clash in which the Nigerian Army reportedly killed over 350 people at an IMN compound, a nearby mosque and burial ground in Kaduna.
In a protest against El-Zakzaky’s detention, his followers had, on January 25, 2017, converged on the National Assembly Complex in Abuja but were dispersed by policemen and other security forces.
On January 8, 2018, policemen in Abuja clashed with IMN members leading to the arrest of many of them who attempted to force their way into the Complex.
On April 16, 2018, Shiites also clashed with security personnel at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, in Abogo Largema, Abuja, where they also protested their leader’s detention.
On July 21, 2019, a Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations at the FCT Command, Usman Umar, was killed and a journalist with Channels Television hit by a stray bullet during a clash between Shiites and policemen in Abuja.
On January 21, 2020, one person was confirmed dead in a similar clash between the police and IMN members at the popular Julius Berger area of Abuja.
On January 26, 2021, one person was killed in a clash between the police and Shiites in the streets of Abuja.
On March 30, 2023, three IMN members sustained injuries when police allegedly fired gunshots and teargas to disperse them near the Federal Secretariat, Abuja.
On April 14, 2023, a 15-year-old boy was reportedly killed and dozens of others injured as the police and Shiites clashed at Wuse District of Abuja during the latter’s procession.
Witnesses speak
A witness, who spoke to Daily Trust, alleged that yesterday’s clash erupted when Shiites were passing through Wuse Market in the morning and “pelted the officers with stones and seized guns from the police.
“They overpowered the police. So, they (policemen) had to run for their lives”, the witness said.
A sachet water vendor, who also witnessed the incident, said Shiites also set three police vehicles on fire.
He said as the IMN members marched towards Berger area, police officers fired shots and teargas to disperse them and other bystanders.
Another witness, who simply gave his name as Imam, said when the victim, who was a gold and jewelry trader, was rushed to Zone 3 Hospital, the Accident and Emergency unit was overwhelmed with the number of casualties of police officers.
He said: “So, he breathed his last while being rushed to Maitama District Hospital.
“I can confirm to you that I have seen the dead bodies of two police officers inside a police vehicle, and many others were wounded and being attended to. The medical officers at the A&E unit are even overwhelmed with the number of casualties”, he said.
The victim, 28, a native of Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, was buried at Gudu Cemetery, Apo District.
One of the traders at Wuse Market, Usman Kamba, said: “Some IMN members ran towards the market, removing their black dresses in order to disguise. Their action led to the closure of the market around 12 pm.”
A resident of Wuse Zone 5, Sanusi Ahmad, said: “About 40 blocks bought by an estate for the rebuilding of its fallen fence were destroyed by the group’s members who used them to attack the police.”
Another witness said: “I saw that some IMN members seize a rifle from a police officer. One of them even attempted to fire it, but his colleague seized the rifle and put it inside one of their vehicles. They drove off in a Volkswagen car.”
A member of the IMN, Surajo Shehu, who spoke to Daily Trust, said: “We started everything peacefully. Some of our members had already passed the Wuse Market junction.
“The police just emerged around the junction and started shooting towards the members, which led to the death of our members with many injured.
“Another police team rounded up our members, who were in the process of ending the exercise with prayers at Berger Junction”, he said.
Wuse Market shut; soldiers, police deployed
The management of Wuse Market shut the facility and ordered traders to vacate.
Soldiers and police officers were later drafted to the scene.
Shiites moved with local bombs – Police
The spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, in a statement, confirmed that two police officers were shot dead during the fracas.
She said three other officers were currently unconscious at a hospital in Abuja.
Adeh said several arrests were made.
She stated: “The proscribed organisation attacked the police checkpoint unprovoked, wielding machetes, improvised explosive devices (locally made bombs in bottles with kerosene), and knives.”
She said the Commissioner of Police in the FCT, Benneth C. Igweh, condemned “the unprovoked attack” on police officers and promised to bring those involved to book.
“The situation is presently under control and normalcy restored.
Further development will be communicated in due course,” she said.
It’s a lie, police attacked, killed many of our members – IMN
The IMN faulted the account of the story by the police, saying officers attacked their members and killed several of them.
A statement by Sheikh Sidi Munir Mainasara Sokoto on behalf of the IMN, read: “We wish to inform the public that police have attacked the ongoing Arba’een symbolic trek at Wuse District in Abuja and killed numerous mourners.
“While trying to disperse the Arbaeen trek, the police killed and injured numerous mourners.
“Presently, security agents are busy arresting the Arbaeen Trek mourners.
“Medical practitioners are attending to those critically injured, and details of those killed, injured, and arrested will be made available to members of the press in due course.
“Before the commencement of the trek, we had searched all participants to ensure no infiltration, and the programme will end as scheduled.
“The Arbeen Trek that was conducted yesterday at Masaka and Zuba axis ended peacefully and successfully’’, it said.
Earlier in a telephone interview with Daily Trust, a medical coordinator of the IMN, Abuja Zone, Ishaq Adam, also refuted the claims by the police.
He said their members were known for conducting peaceful demonstrations, adding that “even yesterday, there were over one million IMN members who held Arbaeen processions in Suleja and Mararraba that started and ended peacefully.”
Adam also said the police yesterday evening raided some Shiites’ locations at Suleja, Niger State.
My officers’ killers won’t go scot-free, CP vows
In an interview with Daily Trust last night, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, vowed that those who killed his men who not go unpunished.
“You can see now that these people (Shiites) have killed my men. They even went ahead to injure two policewomen. In fact, they’ve even declared war on security operatives.
“We spoke to their lawyer. If you heard what he was saying, you would be shocked, you would know that these people have declared total war on us.
“I want to assure you that we won’t take that lightly. This is the last protest or procession they will carry out in FCT,” the CP said.
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