The federal government has begun moves to investigate the killings in Zaria, Kaduna State, following the clash between Nigerian Army and members of the Shi’ite sect.
Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Danbazau led the federal government delegation on a fact-finding visit to Kaduna State to see things for themselves.
The minister also held a closed-door meeting with the state Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai on the development in the state before proceeding to Zaria to ascertain what really transpired between the sect and the soldiers.
Speaking to reporters at Kaduna Government House, Danbazau said: “I came to Kaduna to see the situation of things and I decided to see the chief security officer of the state. I’m on my way to Zaria to see the situation of things.”
Meanwhile, Kaduna metropolis was Tuesday thrown into panic following a clash between policemen and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, otherwise known as the Shi’ite sect.
The clash led to the killing of three members of the sect who were protesting the alleged killing of their members by the Nigeria Army in Zaria.
The protest, which started peacefully in Tudun Wada, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis, took a more hostile dimension when police tried to stop the sect members from continuing with the protest.
The problem started when members of the sect gathered at a mosque to protest the detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakkzaky, and killing of their members in Zaria by soldiers on Saturday and Sunday.
Two policemen were injured in the fracas and are now being treated at the Police Clinic along Independence Way.
The clash between members of the sect and security agents led to the shutting down of business centres as people rushed home to avoid being caught up in the midst of the crisis.
In a jiffy, Kaduna metropolis was completely shut down, as workers and commercial banks immediately closed shop.
The state secretariat along Independence Way was a ghost of itself as most workers were nowhere to be found.
3 more deaths in Kaduna Tuesday, 2 policemen injured
The Shi’ite sect, in a statement by its spokesperson Ibrahim Musa, confirmed that three of their members were killed by security personnel in Tudun Wada area and that many others received bullet wounds.
According to him, the mobile police (MOPOL) unit attacked a peaceful protest staged by the members of the sect in Kaduna.
NHRC constitutes probe panel
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has set up a special investigation panel into the clash between the Army and the Shi’ite Muslim sect in Zaria at the weekend.
This was sequel to the complaints received from Nigerian Army and concerned citizens on the incident which led to the loss of life and damage to property.
Constituting the panel, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Professor Bem Angwe stressed the need for all the parties in the dispute to sheathe their sword, assuring them that the commission would get to the root of the matter.
el-Rufai assures citizens of safety
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State government has assured residents of the state of their security.
An official statement Tuesday evening urged the people of the state to remain peaceful and law-abiding, and to go about their normal activities.
The statement by Samuel Aruwan, spokesman to the governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, said that “a situation of calm prevails in the state, with security agencies maintaining a vigilant stance.
Army-Shi’ite Saga: Iranian leader Rouhani calls Buhari
Iranian Supreme leader, Hassan Rouhani, in a phone talk with his Nigerian counterpart, President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday said that a group of countries are sowing the seeds of discord among the world’s Muslims, stressing that increased awareness is a necessity under the prevailing conditions, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports.
In his phone talk with Buhari, the Iranian political leader surveyed the prevailing conditions in the Islamic world and particularly the recent catastrophic event in Zaria.
Rouhani, meanwhile, referred to the recent visit of President Buhari to Iran and the fruitful results of bilateral talks in improvement of the two countries’ relations.
He argued that such meetings preserve not only both nations’ interests, but also the Islamic world’s benefits.
Meanwhile, Majlis (Iranian parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani has called for an immediate probe of the incident in a letter to his Nigerian counterpart, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
-Leadership
