The FCT Police Command said Monday evening it has restored normalcy at parts of Maitama following a violent protest by members of the El-Zakzaky Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) who clashed with the police in Abuja.
The clash disrupted business activities, obstructing traffic movement and smashing windscreen of innocent citizens’ vehicles in the affected areas.
FCT Police Spokesman DSP Anjuguri Manzah said following the unfortunate incident which also resulted in the destruction of some government and Police operational vehicles, the members of the Shiite group also injured twenty-two (22) police personnel during the protest. Exhibits recovered: Catapults; Iron bars; Stones; Ball bearings and Pink head bands
Manzah disclosed that “one hundred and fifteen (115) members of the sect were arrested at the scene by Police operatives. Joint Team of detectives from the Command in conjunction with operatives from the IGP Monitoring Unit have commenced investigation into the incident. The arrested suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigation.”
The FCT Police Command also warned members of Shiites movement from further disrupting the peace, harmony and free flow of traffic in FCT.
The statement said “This is to also to urge the members of the public particularly parents not to allow their children or wards to be used as instrument of violence in any demonstration by any group that could jeopardise public peace and harmony. It is therefore imperative to state that anyone caught in the act of violent demonstration or any act capable of causing the breach of public peace will be made to face the wrath of the law.”
FCT Command said “contrary to speculations from some sections of the media, no life was lost in the violent protest as the Police operatives deployed to quell the protest were professional in handling the situation.”
