Shiites protest claims DCP Umar, others in Abuja

…IGP Adamu decries incident, says enough is enough

…Police killed 11 of our members, injured 30 others, says IMN

Andrew Orolua, Doorsuur Iwambe & Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja

The violent protest and clashes which erupted on Monday in Abuja between members of the Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky-led Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, and officers and men of the police resulted in the killing of a Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations in the FCT Command, DCP Usman A.K Umar.

Violent skirmishes also claimed the life of an identified Shiite member who was shot during the protest that occurred at about 12:30pm within the Central Business District of Abuja.

According to a statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, “the heavily armed protesters defying all sense of decency violently attacked innocent citizens and police personnel on duty.

“In the process, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations, FCT Command, DCP Usman A.K Umar, was shot and fatally injured by the protesters. The officer who was immediately rushed to the hospital died moments later while receiving treatment.

“Also, two assistant superintendents of police and a staff of Channels Television sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment. The violent protesters also razed down a National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) response post close to the Federal Secretariat, Abuja and two vehicles,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the police have confirmed the arrest of 54 suspects in connection with the violent incidents. The suspects are undergoing interrogation and will be arraigned in court as soon as possible.

Reacting to the death of the senior police officer, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, while commiserating with the family of the late deputy commissioner, condemned the incident and warned that “enough-is-enough as the police and the nation at large will not continue to suffer losses on account of reckless and lawless persons and groups in the society.”

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Also, emergency equipment worth N200 million was destroyed during the clash as police opened fire on the protesters who set the equipment ablaze.

Our correspondents who monitored the protest reported that members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, also known as Shiites, had gathered at NITEL Junction in the Wuse II District for a march to the Federal Secretariat complex in their continued protest seeking the release of their detained leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, from detention.

However, the Shiites procession was interrupted before the three arms zone by armed security personnel who condoned off the area to prevent the protesters from gaining access to the Federal Secretariat.

In the ensuing melee, sporadic gunshots and tear gas were fired into the air to disperse the protesters, while several vehicles reportedly belonging to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the vicinity were set ablaze.

An emergency official who wished to remain anonymous said that “the equipment was set ablaze at around 12 noon when the Shiites embarked on their usual procession.

“When they got to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they were dispersed by the police who had accused them of attempting to attack the ministry.

“During the fracas, the Shiites attacked the NEMA emergency bay and set it ablaze while the police were shooting bullets and teargas. In the process, some of the Shiites were hit and one was killed instantly. Others who fell were hauled into a van.

“The equipment damaged cost over N200 million. In the whole of Abuja, we only have three of such equipment,” the official lamented.

The members of the IMN have been protesting against the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who has been in custody for nearly four years, despite a Federal High Court decision that had ordered his release.

The protests have been peaceful for over two years now, but recently turned violent when the Shiites staged a violent protest at the National Assembly which led to the death of two Shiites while security agents were also injured.

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Clashes between police and El-Zakzaky’s supporters have raised fears that the group may become radicalised – just as the Sunni Muslim militant group – Boko Haram, turned violent in 2009 after police killed their leader.

Lawyer to El-Zakzaky, Femi Falana (SAN) recently advised President Muhammadu Buhari that the nation risks another insurgency, should the religious leader and his wife die in detention.

Other sources that witnessed Monday’s protest also stated that no fewer than six members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) were feared dead in the bloody clash between the Islamic sect and security forces in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The fiasco, which took place within the precincts of the Federal Secretariat Complex, also left a journalist with a popular TV station battling for his life after he was hit by a stray bullet.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, on Monday, claimed that 11 of its members were killed in a clash with the police in Abuja.

It further claimed that 30 of its members were injured in the violent clash.

It said out of those injured, the police went to University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada and took them to unknown place.

The figures were contained in an update by the President of the Media Forum of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim Musa.

The statement did not provide the list of those killed and injured.

The statement said: “Abuja today (on Monday) yet again witnessed one of the worst cases of blatant trampling of the rights of citizens ever seen in the Federal Capital, when joint security forces consisting of both uniformed men and officers of the Nigerian Police Force and others in mufti, unleashed their fury on a Free Zakzaky protest by members of the Islamic Movement.

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“The procession, attended by several thousands of persons, including very young children, the aged, women and the physically challenged, met with an extreme rage indicative of deep seated animosity the Nigerian authorities bear for IMN.

“What actually happened was that the protesters started the procession from NITEL junction and on getting to federal secretariat the police cordoned off the road and started firing at them.

“A lot of people have been shot but for now we can only confirm 11 deaths, but several are injured, the figure for now stood at 30.

Though we are aware of the fact that the security agents have been going around taking off those they killed from the streets.

“Even some seriously injured persons that were taken to Abuja University teaching Hospital Gwagwalada; the police went there and took away about 11 people they shot during the protest.

“We strongly dispute the claim by the police that the protesters shot at them because throughout our processions we have not been carrying any arms right from 2015 to date.

It was also the police who shot at the Reporter of Channels TV, another indication that many innocent people were shot at by the police, including some of their own.

“In this era of social media, the brutality displayed by the police today (Monday) has been captured with some pictures showing the police setting up the bonfires and there are videos that captured the police carting away their victims”.

Earlier, on Monday, commuters from Keffi – Mararaba to Abuja were barricaded by soldiers with their vehicles at a spot between Mogadishu barracks and AYA roundabout probably trying to stop Shiites from entering the city centre.

The road blocks resulted in a heavy gridlock that extended to Mararaba International Market, a distance of about 20 kilometres, thus leaving commuters mostly civil servants who were rushing to their offices stranded on the road for hours.