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5th Update
Nigerian Army says Zaria calm, no word on ZakZaky’s arrest
The Nigerian Army has urged Zaria residents to go about their legitimate businesses as the security situation in the city has been brought under control.
Army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman said this in a statement today. He however was silent on the arrest of the Shiite leader Sheikh Ibrahim El Zakzaky or the reported deaths of two of his aides, his deputy, Muhammad Turi and spokesman, Ibrahim Usman. The duo reportedly died during the arrest of El Zakzaky.
Colonel Usman’s statement was also short on details about any military operation after the attack on the Army Chief. He simply said the Army was in control.
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4th Update
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3rd Updates
Nigerian soldiers have killed the son of Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria according to members of the movement.
“Leading members of the Islamic Movement and other members as well, have been martyred by the soldiers including the leader of the Kano Center, Sheikh Muhammad Turi, Dr. Mustapha Sa’eed, Malam Ibrahim Usman and Sister Jummai Gilima. Also killed was Sayyid Aliy, the son of the leader of the Movement, Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky (H), the wife of the Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky (H), Malama Zeenat Ibraheem and tens of other members as more are being killed as at the time of this release,” the group said in a press statement signed by Ibrahim Musa, head of the media forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
The group said in its statement that the Nigerian Army “brutally descended on armless members of the Movement with heavy military weapons killing indiscriminately” following the alleged blockade of the route of the chief if army staff.
The group further said that soldiers fired shots at the residence of the leader of the Movement at Gyallesu, the Husainiyya Bakiyatullah at the GRA and the Darur Rahma located along Zaria-Jos road “where many armless people were killed.”
“The killing was so brutal at Gyallesu that even those injured in the shooting were identified and killed in cold blood by the soldiers. And as at the time of writing this press release, the victims run into their hundreds, if not thousands.
“Considering the gross violation of fundamental human rights and extra-judicial killings perpetrated by the Nigerian Army, the Islamic Movement hereby condemns these unjustifiable acts. We state categorically that the claim by the Army that Members of the Movement attempted of assasinate 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.
“Clearly, the Nigerian government through its military is now on rampage, in an all out war with the Islamic movement, its members and structures. The scale of this attack would suggest it was meticulously planned by authorities and now being executed ruthlessly. The alledged attack on COAS Burutai was just an alibi. Therefore, with all pointers at the government as the contractor of the killings, we hereby call on well meaning Nigerians and the international community to intervene and seek redress for the victims and their family members as many innocent people have unjustifiably been killed and many others severely injured.
“In the mean time there is no idea as to the where about of the leader of the Movement, Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) nor his current condition, and agrieved members of the Movement across the country have taken to the streets in condemnatory protests.”
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Nigerian forces have arrested the top Shia cleric, Ibrahim al-Zakzaky, after carrying out a deadly raid on his private residence in the country’s northern region, rights activists say.
The activists and local residents said that a large number of soldiers torched and destroyed several parts of al-Zakzaky's house before arresting the cleric on Sunday. The army eventually overtook the home of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, killing many people.
Reports say the fate of al-Zakzaky and his wife remains unknown after the attack.
Sources said that several people were killed or injured when the Nigerian government forces opened fire on local residents who were attempting to protect the cleric.
The second in command to the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Muhammad Turi, and the group’s spokesman, Ibrahim Usman, are reported to be among the dead.
According to the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, the troops have also rounded up several peace activists who were attending a peace march against the army's brutality.
The developments followed the Saturday violence between troops and Shia Muslims in the country’s city of Zaria, Kaduna State, in which at least 15 people were killed and many more injured.
Reports said soldiers opened fire on the people attending a ceremony in Hussainiyyah Baqeeyatullah, a religious center. The Shias had reportedly stopped the convoy of the Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai as the top Shia cleric was planning a speech in the religious center.
Authorities accuse the Shia cleric of trying to assassinate the Nigerian army chief, a charge that he has vehemently denied.
Al-Zakzaky said in an interview from his residence that the military attacks are unjustified, adding that the government has “framed a kind of lies.”
“They came to my house and then there was shooting constantly,” he said.
The cleric said the Nigerian troops are “bent on” continuing their attacks which, he said, have left about 30 people dead.
"Only Allah can protect us," said al-Zakzaky.
Human rights groups and activists have strongly denounced the Nigerian government of violating religious and social freedoms by attacking peaceful Shia gatherings.
Nigerian army had also targeted Shias in August last year as people were holding a demonstration to condemn Israeli attacks on the Palestinians.
Shias in Nigeria have also been targeted by the Takfiri miltiant group, Boko Haram.
More than 20 people were killed on November 27 in a Boko Haram bomb attack targeting Nigerian Shia Muslims during an annual religious procession in the northern state of Kano.
Sheik Muhammad Turi, the second in command to the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheik Ibrahim Zakzaky and the group’s spokesman, Ibrahim Usman have been killed by soldiers.
Sheik Turi and Usman were said to have been shot by soldiers in front of Zakzaky’s residence in Gyellesu area, in Zaria on Sunday morning.
A senior member of the Shiite Sect confirmed the killing of the two senior members of the movement to Channels Television’s correspondent.
He said that both Sheik Turi and Usman were shot by soldiers when they stormed Zakzaky’s house to arrest him.
But unfortunately, while the Islamic cleric was said to have escaped before the arrival of the soldiers, the two men were unlucky.
He said that many of their members sustained various degree of injuries from gunshots when the angry soldiers started shooting sporadically when they could not arrest Sheik Zakzaky.
He said the soldiers are still laying siege at Sheik Zakzaky’s residence and have prevented anyone from either going in or coming out of the building.
He, however, called on the Army authorities and the Kaduna State Government to direct the soldiers to vacate the place for the sake of peace.
Late Sheik Muhammadu Turi was a former Managing Director of New Nigerian Newspaper in Kaduna State, and was seen as possible successor to Zakzaky.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu, told Channels Television’s correspondent that the situation is under control.
