Zaria killings: “We told army to take another route, they refused” – Shiites spokesman
Spokesperson for the Islamic Movement of Nigeria a. k. a. Shiites, Ibrahim Musa, said the group bears no blame in the “extrajudicial” killing of its members.
The killings came over the weekend after a Shiite procession blocked a major highway in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Musa admitted, on Channels TV Thursday morning, the group never obtained police permit to block the highway.
He also said they asked the Nigerian Army to take another route. Of course, the soldiers refused.
“They came near our mosque and we asked them to move back and they refused,” he added.
The Shiites, despite several pleadings, refused to allow a military convoy carrying Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff Tukur Burutai through.
READ:
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Burutai said some Shiites then attempted assassinating him. Reports say Shiites hurled metallic missiles at Burutai for forcing his way through the procession.
What happened after resulted in the death of at least 500 Shiites, the group says. Some say over 1000 Shiites were killed.
The Army also destroyed the house of Shiite leader, Ibraheem Zakzaky.
The leader was reportedly shot four times but is said to be alive, and in the Army’s custody.
Zakzaky’s deputy Muhammad Turi, and the group’s national spokesman Ibrahim Usman, were reportedly killed in a siege on Sunday morning.
Shiite Islam is not popular in Nigeria where most Muslims follow Sunni beliefs.
In far away Iran where Shiites hold sway, many Muslims have poured on the streets to demand Zakzaky’s release. Some reportedly burned the Nigerian flag.
Reports say Nigerian Shiites will hold a massive protest this Friday to make the same demands.
The protest would likely be staged in Zaria, Kaduna State, which has been the headquarters of the Shiite movement in Nigeria..
