Nigerian army to deploy troops if Islamic Movement protests escalate

(AhlulBayt News Agency) - The Guards Brigade headquarters, Abuja has said it would deploy troops to stop the daily protests by Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) in the Federal Capital Territory should the situation gets out of control.

The Sun reports that the commander, guards brigade, Brig Gen Umar Musa speaking with journalist in Mambila barracks, said the Brigade was on standby and monitoring activities of the group.

Musa said the protests by the Islamic group had not yet warranted the deployment of soldiers as most of their activities and movement were still within the ambit of the Nigerian police.

He assured Abuja residents that the military would be deployed should their protest get out of the control of the police, the military would deploy at very short notice to curb the situation.

According to him, “the activities of the Islamic Movement Of Nigeria has being on the high particularly in the Federal Capital Territory on the high over the [illegal] detention of their leader who is facing some charges proffered against him in court,” the commander said.

“But I want to assure the public that the Nigerian army and Guards Brigade in particular have been monitoring the situation closely.

“As it is now, most of the activities of the movement is within the ambit of the Nigerian police who have the constitutional role of protecting life and property of the populace.

“It has not yet reached the time where the military will be involved.

“But all same we have been monitoring and we are always on standby at short notice should the situation go out of hand of the Nigerian police.

It is while Islamic Movement of Nigeria under the leadership of Sheikh Zakzaky always stages peaceful protests in Abuja and in different cities of Nigeria, but it is Police forces that attack protesters to show that IMN members are disruptive and intruder.



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