The leadership of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria has accused the Federal Government of plotting to wipe out the group from the country.
At an emergency press briefing held in Kano, Abdulhamid Bello, Head of Martyr foundation of the IMN, maintained that the Ashura procession had ended peacefully before the security agents attacked the Shiite members in Kano.
According to him, President Muhammad Buhari had neither intervened nor sympathised with the group since the face off with police men in Kano.
Bello maintained that the Federal Government’s continued silence over the persistent victimisation of Shiite members was a subtle plot to permanently stop them from practising their faith and mode of worship.
“We were walking away from Kano toward Zaria and we did not obstruct traffic. It was the heavily armed police officers, who scattered the hitherto orderly, peaceful and solemn procession. There was simply no justification for the police attack, who unjustifiably shot indiscriminately, killing men, women and children, including an eight month-old infant, Bello said.
Bello also appealed to the Federal Government to compel security agents to release the corpses of over 100 of their members, so that “we can organise a befitting burial for them according to Islamic rites.”
He urged Nigerians “to be mindful of the shameless disregard to civilians’ lives and property exhibited by the Buhari-led administration.”
Bello urged Nigerians to caution “President Buhari and his lieutenants and to remind them that they were not voted into office to kill those they harbour religious enmity against.”
“Finally, we also reiterate our demand for the unconditional release of our leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, his wife, and all those being detained illegally since the pogrom against us commenced,” he said.