El Zakzaky: Tension in Abuja as Shiites mourn fallen heroes
Tom Okpe, Abuja
The city of Abuja was tensed up Monday morning as thousands of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) members popularly known as ‘Shiites’ gathered at the Federal Capital City to honour their fallen heroes and martyrs killed by security operatives across the country.
The Chairman of Shuada Foundation, Abdulhameed Bello, who addressed a large crowd of supporters of Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakyzaky during the Annual Yaumus Shuhada Foundation, said that the group has lost 998 members to the police and army brutality.
Bello stated that Shuhada foundation was established to cater for the orphans, widow, aged parents and family members left behind by the deceased, adding that the foundation sponsored the education of the children from nursery to university level.
“We take care of the medical bills of anyone of them that is sick and has health challenges. We also take care of their welfare like marriage and celebration of salah programme.
These martyrs as we are all aware are those that were killed by either the Nigerian army or the Police during the crisis in Zaria, Kaduna State”, Bello said.
El Zakzaky was arrested and detained by the Federal Government as a result of the movement having scuttle with the Army, and charged for disruption of the law of the land.
Bello decried the attitude of the security agencies toward the activities of the movement, advocating that the group would not give up in its mandate to exercise its religious belief despite the intimidation by the security.
The protesters who were wielding the portraits of the fallen members and chanting anti -government songs came from Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Nasarawa and Kebbi states.
Members of the movement who are also victims of attacks with gunshot injuries were seen walking with the aid of crutches.
The event which was marked in a sober reflection and emotions with photographs of the deceased on display started from Garki Obtion Garden towards the Rita Lori Hotel and Garki village.
A woman member, Hajiya Jumai Karofi, who claimed she lost five children in various attacks by the security operatives, said that she remains resolute to the cause of the movement which she said, “cannot be deterred by the unfortunate incident that befell her”.
“Today we are commemorating and remembering our martyrs. As a mother, I have lost five of my children during the Zaria massacre and one of my son is carrying a bullet in his chest right now and I have been shot several times as you can see when I was coming they had to hold my hands because of the extent of my pain”, she said.
