Nigerian Army Kills Dozens in Brutal Crackdown against Islamic Movement
Local Editor
The leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim Elzakzaky, had been arrested by Nigerian troops, following a siege on his Zaria residence.
They stated that soldiers had killed some prominent members of the sect as well as followers. Among the reported casualties were the leader of the group's Kano Center, Sheikh Muhammad Turi, Mustapha Sa'eed, Ibrahim Usman, and a major female member, Jummai Gilima , and several others were killed during the siege.
While the Army accused the Shiite followers of attempting to assassinate Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, the Islamic movement said soldiers simply decided to attack "defenseless people".
"The sporadic killings took place at three different locations that include the residence of the revered leader of the Movement at Gyallesu, the Husainiyya Bakiyatullah at the GRA and the Darur Rahma located along Zaria-Jos Road where many [unarmed] people were killed.
"The killing was so brutal at Gyallesu that even those injured in the shooting were identified and killed in cold blood by the soldiers. And as at the time of writing this press release, the victims run into their hundreds, if not thousands.
He further considered the gross violation of fundamental human rights and extra-judicial killings perpetrated by the Nigerian Army, the Islamic Movement hereby condemns these unjustifiable acts.
Residents of the area told our reporter that they saw armored tanks demolishing the Hussainiyya shrine and the residence of the leader of the sect.
A source at the military hospital in Chindit Barracks Depot of the Nigerian Army, Zaria, told Premium Times that they received 19 bodies of people killed in the encounter.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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