Shi’ites accuse Police – They first attacked us in a guest house

Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as Shi’ites, have accused police forces of attacking them at a guest house in Suleja, Niger State, where many were arrested and others injured.

They also alleged that the police were the first to attack them during the annual Arbaeen procession in Abuja, resulting in numerous deaths and hundreds of injuries, reports Vanguard.

Speaking on behalf of the movement, Sheikh Sidi Munir Mainasara told journalists in Abuja that the procession, which commemorates the 40th day of remembrance of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, was peaceful until police forces appeared and began shooting indiscriminately.

He rejected the police’s claims that they attacked the officers, describing those assertions as false, fabricated, and misleading.

Sheikh Mainasara maintained that their members were unarmed and defenseless during the procession.

He called on the relevant authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that those arrested are not tortured, and that those injured receive proper medical attention.

The Islamic cleric said, “This statement by the police is false, fabricated, and misleading. And we would like to set the record straight. We reject and condemn the statement from the PRO FCT Police Command in its entirety. It’s a statement aimed at scapegoating the movement as well as seeking cheap public sympathy that will allow them to carry out even further atrocities against defenceless civilians.

“The same security agents who should supposedly protect the lives of citizens of the country are the ones who, in broad daylight, murder them in cold blood. We wish to maintain that attacking our gathering is illegal and unconstitutional. It is an infringement on our fundamental rights to liberty and freedom of expression as citizens of Nigeria.

“In a further escalation of violence, a team of combined security forces attacked a guest house in Suleja, where our brothers and sisters used to reside, opening fire unprovoked on Sunday, August 25, 2024, around 4:30 p.m. They set fire to a car, vandalized facilities, and attempted to burn down the house, but their efforts were thwarted. They also fired indiscriminately at people and arrested dozens.

“We fear that our brothers and sisters arrested will be tortured, and those who sustain various degrees of injuries will be denied access to the urgent, proper medical attention they require. We condemn this act of violence meted out against our brothers and sisters. We call upon relevant authorities to call these security forces to order and ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice.”