At least one person was killed and over 30 injured as protesting Shiites were dispersed by Security Operatives in Abuja on Monday, the Islamic group has stated.
According to the Shiites Spokesperson, Ibrahim Musa, the victim was yet to be identified as “the protesters came from various towns.”
Mohammed also stated that over 200 protesters were arrested by the Police, who he accused of being the first to attack the protesters.
“We were carrying out a peaceful protest starting from the Unity Fountain. All of a sudden, they began to attack us. They were the ones who started firing (at) us with teargas.
“We were not violent in our procession but we had to defend ourselves somehow and that was why we attacked back.
“So far, we’ve been able to confirm about 200 persons arrested, over 30 injured and one person is dead.”
The protesters took to the Unity Fountain, beside Transcorp Hotel to demand the release of the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim el-Zakzaky, who has been detained without trial for over two years.
The Nigerian government has kept the Shiite leader in custody since 2015 when his group had an encounter with a convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, leading to the massacre of about 300 Shiite members, including el-Zakzaky’s sons.
Several security officers from the Army, Police as well as Civil Defence on Monday forcefully dispersed the protesters as eyewitnesses said the Officers fired teargas and gun shots into the air.
Videos and footage have also been released by eyewitnesses showing the dispersal of the protesters and some of them throwing stones at Police vehicles.
Monday’s action came a few days after the the Abuja Police Commissioner, Sadiq Bello, placed an indefinite ban on daily sit-outs at Unity Fountain by pro-democracy and good governance advocates across Abuja, a move that was condemned by activists.
