Policemen opened fire on us, killed our members in Kano – Muslim group

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, (IMN) has condemned the Monday afternoon clash between the Nigeria Police and the Shiites members, during which some of its members were feared killed.
DAILY POST reports that some followers of the Shiite Movement had embarked on a peaceful protest on Kano street, to demand for the release of their Leader who is being incarcerated by the Buhari led administration.
Explaining the genesis of the crisis, IMN in a statement obtained by our source claimed that the trek started like in previous years solemnly, orderly and peacefully without hitches.
According to Ibrahim Musa, President of the IMN, shortly after the peaceful protest commenced, a contingent of armed policemen appeared and started firing teargas on them without provocation.
“Because of the massive turnout, the trek continued and when IMN members reached a neighborhood called Kwanar Dawaki, about five Kilometers from Kano, police opened fire on the trekkers with live ammunition.
“The firing by the police was randomly carried out that they also hit their colleague, and we are not unmindful of possibility they would claim we did it, similar to what they did in Zaria.
“Their antecedent and evil schemes are glaring. Already they have engaged the services of unscrupulous paid agents to push down the throats of the public that it was ‘clash’ or even ‘exchange of fire’ through falsified news reports.
“What vindicates us however is the very peaceful ‎conduct of previous and present treks. The World bears witness to our peaceful conduct in the face of persecution. No one can simply attribute violence to us overnight.
“We learnt of the attack as it was being plotted and we exposed it much earlier. That the security forces brazenly executed it in broad daylight only further exposes who actually are the assailants.
“IMN is left bewildered as to why it is now criminal for some people to choose to trek to a certain town of their wish on foot, while not impeding the smooth flow of traffic along the highway. We view the unwarranted killings by the police as continuation of the army pogrom started in Zaria last year.”
The group called on the Governor of Kano state not to turn the recently peaceful atmosphere enjoyed in the state into one where innocent lives were being shed on the slightest excuse.
“We will conclude by reiterating our 11-month-old demand for freeing our illegally detained leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and all those in captivity with him.”