The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiites, has said security agencies are working hard to portray the sect as a terrorist organization.
IMN in a press statement on Wednesday, signed by Sheikh Abdulhamid Bello noted that Buhari’s administration is bent on using all the force at its disposal, in stopping their march for the demand of justice and release of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.
“However it seems some hawks in the Buhari administration are bent on using all the force at their disposal, in stopping our march for the demand of justice. For their information forceful means have never been a solution to any social demand for justice like our own,” he said.
Sheikh Abdulhamid Bello added that the IMN wants a peaceful resolution of the crisis that has kept Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky in detention since 2015.
He urged the international community and well-meaning Nigerians to mount pressure on the federal government to release their leader, “who is in dire need of urgent medical attention abroad.”
He also revealed that fifteen corpses of its members are being held by the Nigerian police.
“Yesterday we were able to conduct the Islamic funeral prayers on six of those known to us killed by the police. We firmly believe the police force is holding unto 15 corpses of the supporters of the Islamic Movement it killed on Monday.
Those buried yesterday are: 1. Harisu Ibrahim Magaji from Darazo, Bauchi state. 2. Husaini Yahya Barwa from Soba, Kaduna state. 3. Ali Haidar Ibrahim Sulaiman from Toro, Bauchi state. 4. Dahiru Dogo from Kaduna, Kaduna state. 5. Batula Muhammad from Suleja, Niger state. 6. Abubakar Isma’il from Yola, Adamawa state,” he said, adding that “As of now, 15 seriously injured people, some of whom we took to Abuja University teaching hospital Gwagwalada, but the police snatched them by force on Monday 22/07/19 are languishing in the detention Centre of SARS, in Abbatoir Abuja, without any medical care. Among them are five women needing urgent medical attention. There is a ten year old boy in the detention facility, even though he has a bullet wound on his leg. In fact we learnt that two of the injured died yesterday because of their injuries. We demand that the authorities of SARS give us access to the wounded, so that we can attend to their medical needs.
“Yesterday 23/07/19, we gathered at Banex Plaza to once again continue with our peaceful procession demanding the freedom of our Leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, but a joint task force of security agents stormed the place in combat gear. They fired tear gas and live ammunition resulting in injuries to a lot of our supporters, with one unconfirmed report saying one person died of his injuries.”
