The Sheikh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky led Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ites, clashed with men of the Nigeria Police, while staging a pro-Palestine protest in Kaduna, during which one person was killed, the police has said.
According to the Kaduna State Police Command, members of the proscribed IMN were carrying out an illegal rally along Muhammadu Buhari when the police arrived the scene and the Shi’ites started firing at the Policemen who were drafted to disperse the ‘illegal’ protest, in the process, the protesters killed a civilian identified as Aliyu.
However, members of the Shi’ites alleged that while they were out to declare their unalloyed support for the ‘oppressed’ people of Palestine, the Police came to attack them and killed two of their members during the clash.
The IMN members said they started their protest from the premises of the Kaduna state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) along Muhammadu Buhari Way and marched to the office of the National Human Rights Commission on the same road to submit their protest letter.
The IMN members said some minutes after the protest commenced, men of the Nigeria Police engaged the protesters, firing teargas to disperse them and ensure smooth vehicular movement.
Speaking during the protest, leader of the protesters, Aliyu Umar Tirmizi said, “the Israeli occupiers have for the past 75 years been unleashing genocide, ethnic cleansing and apartheid on the unarmed civilians that include men, women and children. They have murdered thousands of children and the aged and have demolished houses and worship places of innocent civilians. The Zionist Israel has abused the sanctity of the holy Mosque of Al-Aqsa and terrorized innocent worshipers that visit the place.
“In recent times the Zionist Israel has increased its atrocities on the good people of Palestine where they have been using internationally banned weapons on innocent civilians and even attacked hospitals killing innocent people. These atrocities are committed with full knowledge of the so-called United Nations who have remained silent and subservient to the wicked plots of the Zionist regime.
“It is an understatement to say that the United States of America is providing funds in the name of military aid worth $3.27 billion annually to Israel. The oppressed people of Palestine and indeed human minded people from all over the world have risen against these atrocities. We are out to voice our support for oppressed people of Palestine and to condemn the atrocities perpetrated by the Zionist Israel with support from America and Europe.
“We call on all kind hearted individuals across the world to lend their voices in support of the oppressed Palestinians and condemn Israel and her cohorts. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you all,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Mansur Hassan said, “it is a lie to say that Police killed two Shi’ite members. We were only out to disperse the protesters because IMN is a proscribed organization in Kaduna state. They were protesting against the Israel-Palestine war, but this is not Israel, this is Kaduna. On the contrary, it was the IMN members that started firing at our men. They fired catapult with pellets at our men. In the process they (Shi’ites) killed one civilian identified as Aliyu. They blocked the road, attacked innocent civilians passing.”
The protesters carried placards and white clothes with blood stains wrapped like dead babies, symbolizing the children killed in the Israel/ Palestine war, as they were chanting “death to Israel,” “we support Palestine” among other war songs.
