More than 48 hours after a deadly encounter between troops of the Nigerian Army and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria led to several deaths in Zaria, Kaduna State, the Nigerian government has yet to comment on, or condemn, the killings.
Details of what transpired Saturday remain unclear with the army and the Shiites giving different accounts of the clash. Both sides however agree there were “loss of lives”.
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, a Shia Muslim group led by Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, says hundreds, if not thousands, of its members were killed when soldiers stormed its base in Zaria and opened fire on unarmed civilians. We could not independently verify that claim.
The army, in separate statements, said members of the group blocked the convoy of its chief, Tukur Buratai, a Lieutenant General, and attempted to kill him – an allegation the Shiites deny.
The Shiite movement said after the initial clashes, soldiers returned to its Husainiyyah headquarters, as well as the private home of Mr. Zakzaky at Gyellesu late Saturday and killed many more persons, while both the spiritual headquarters and Mr. Zakzaky’s house were torched. Mr. Zakzaky’s son and wife were among the dead, the group said.
Many Nigerians have condemned the attacks, particularly at a time the nation faces the Boko Haram insurgency, itself, a bloody rebellion that started in 2009 after the leader of the group was killed by police.
SOURCE: PREMIUM TIMES
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