No fewer than 4 people died while 20 sustained various degrees of injuries when operatives of the Nigerian Police clashed with members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria(IMN) also known as Shiites during a procession to mark the International Qud’s day in Kaduna on Friday.
The commotion which turned violent, made traders to close shops while people were seen running for safety, as gun shots were heard coming from the ever busy Kano Road axis.
An eye witness said the Police attempted to disperse members of the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria(IMN) known as Shiites, who were holding a procession and had gathered around Kano Road, Ahmadu Bello Way Kaduna.
Residents in the affected area were panicked and remained indoors while the confusion lasted.
The Police Public Relations Officer( PPRO) of the Kaduna Command,ASP Mansir Hasan told journalists that 3 personnel were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment.
He said it was not true that Police killed members of the IMN, as no live ammunition was used during the incident.
One of the Shiite leaders,Malam Aliyu Tirmizi, confirmed that four of their members were killed while 20 others were injured.
He said “we usually come out on the last Friday of every Ramadan to protest peacefully and show our support to the people of Palestine for the inhuman treatment they are being forced to face as is being done by others across the globe.
“We usually have a peaceful procession but this time around, as we were about to start, the police came and threw tear gas at us and started shouting and in the process, four of our members were killed while 20 were injured.”
Professor Dauda Nalado, a member of the IMN said the Quds day is celebrated annually during the month of Ramadan.
“The great global leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imaam Ruhullah Al-Musawi Al-Khomeini, Invited Muslims and non-Muslims with humanity at heart to show solidarity with the innocent and oppressed people of Palestine and against the brutality of the usurper, apartheid, and the illegal state of Israel. The imam declared the last Friday of each Ramadan as the International Quds Day. “
“Since 1980, the Quds in Britain, France, Sweden, America, Germany, Canada, Australia, and numerous countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, etc. The Islamic movement, under the leadership of his Eminence Sayyid Dr. Ibraheem Ya’qoub El-Zakzaky (H), has been observing this event for decades in Nigeria, In fact, one of the reasons of the Zaria massacre executed by the Buhari regime in 2015 was to kill Sayyid Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and crush this noble movement for justice, all due to the staunch support for the Palestinian course. Hitherto, the public could recall that on 25 July, 2014 Nigerian soldiers attacked the Quds Day procession in support of Palestine in Zaria, resulting in the assassination of 34 people, including three biological children of this great African leader.”
“For six months now, the Zionist State has killed almost 33,000 Palestinians and wounded almost 80, 000, of whom more than half are women and children. They have destroyed buildings and turned Gaza City into rubble. They have violated all international human rights rules and committed war crimes with impunity.
“It is pertinent to remind us that since the illegal state was carved out in 1948, the Palestinians have been subjugated and subjected to oppressive rule, controlling and humiliating every aspect of their daily lives. This current brutality by the Zionists was launched after a retaliative “Aqsa storm operation” by the Palestinians on 7th October 2023. These developments signal the final blow to Zionism.”
He called on all people and nations with humanity to condemn the genocide against the Palestinian population and stop it saying, “Unfortunately, the United States and the United Kingdom are supporters of this genocide.”
He thanked South Africa and the axis of resistance comprising Iran, Lebanon (Hizbullah) Syria, Iraq, and Yemen for their support and condemned the continued brutal genocide of the Palestinian population and support the oppressed people of Palestine in their just struggle.
He called on the Nigerian state to sever diplomatic ties with the genocidal Zionist state of Israel and also called for a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive package for the freedom of Palestine.
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