“We state categorically that the claim by the Army that members of the Movement attempted to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff was a blatant lie as the army came back to launch their attack more than an hour after the COAS had passed”.
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Last year, three of Sheikh Zakzaky’s sons were killed in clashes between the army and pilgrims in a procession.
Musa said the victims of the fighting included his wife, son and the former IMN spokesman.
Most of Nigeria’s tens of millions of Muslims are Sunni, including the Boko Haram jihadist militant group that has killed thousands of people in bombings and shootings mainly in the northeast of Africa’s biggest energy producer since 2009.
Spokesman of the governor, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement, said el-Rufai has visited Zaria town where soldiers and Shi’ite clashed.
Efforts to speak with the spokesperson of the president, Garba Shehu were unsuccessful as he did not answer or return our calls. The army just framed everything and we also believe it was orchestrated by U.S. and Israel.
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria condemned the silence of the government.
The statement added that the whereabout and condition of Zakzaky is not known. “This can not be tolerated and must stop”, the statement said.
“At noon [yesterday], armed soldiers were seen in the precincts of Hussainiyyah Baqiyyatullah, Zaria, where members of the Islamic Movement were to carry out the hoisting of flag to usher in the new month of Maulud, the birth of the Holy Prophet of Islam”.
He also accused the army of exploiting “religious sectarian sentiment to instigate uninformed public, some of whom are now busy killing innocent and unarmed members of the Movement at sight using local weapons”.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, yesterday said that the activities of the sect would no longer be allowed to cause hardship to members of the public using the road. He later met with Lt-General Tukur Buratai in Nigerian Army Depot, Zaria.
Zaria residents said they heard loud blasts on Sunday morning.
He also said that soldiers have formed a road block near the Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic along the Kaduna- Zaria expressway and also along Zaria- Kano highway in search of their members to kill.
Tukur Buratai and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, which resulted in the loss of lives.
In 2014, at least 34 members of the Islamic movement were killed in a clash with Nigerian troops.
They said the government in its claim to be fighting against violent extremism has trampled upon their fundamental rights.
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Another source who hinted how 50 Shi’ite followers were killed said that Gyellesu and Hussainiya areas were all cordoned off by security operatives, while movement was strictly prohibited.
