The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN has said two Shiites were killed after completing the group’s annual Ashura procession in Zaria and Kaduna.
A statement by Ibrahim Musa, the IMN Spokesperson on Sunday said “Heavily armed policemen today opened fire in Zaria and Kaduna on religious mourners soon after completing this year’s Ashura processions (A religious rite held by Shiites globally on the 10th of Muharram Islamic calendar).
“As a consequence of these unprovoked attacks, two people in Kaduna lost their lives while many others were injured in both Kaduna and Zaria.
The group blamed the Kaduna State Government.It also said a similar attack had taken place “ in Kaduna only a week earlier, that also resulted in the death of two people and many houses and vehicles torched by the rampaging Policemen.”
The group further noted that “similar Ashura processions were held today in major towns and cities across Nigeria including some southern states without any incident. Only in Zaria and Kaduna were brutality and violence meted on the peaceful mourners. A number of arrests was also done..”.
The Islamic Movement thus called on all well-meaning Nigerians and the International community to ensure an end to “further spill of innocent Shiites blood.”
