Followers of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky , popularly called Shiites have commemorated the eight years anniversary of the killings of 34 of their members, including 3 sons of El-Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).
They however, vowed not to relent in their struggle until “there is revolution against injustice in Nigeria.”
They said they “will ensure those who killed our members do not go unpunished, we will to continue to fight against all forms of injustice against humanity in the country.”
Speaking to journalists at the graveyard of the 34 IMN members in Zaria on Sunday, one of the disciples of Sheikh Zakzaky who is the leader of the IMN, Sheikh Abdulhamid Bello said the remembrance of killing of 34 of their members during the Qudus day procession in Zaria in 2014, had become an annual event.
On the 24th of July, 2014 there was a clash between members of the Shiite group and a detachment of the Nigerian Army where three of the sons of Sheikh Zakzaky and 31 others including an Igbo man were allegedly killed by soldiers.
The Army, Bello said, “for no just course opened fire on our members and in the process killed 34 and injured several others.”
“Today, we are remembering those that were killed in that unwarranted attack that led to the killing of our brothers, including three biological sons of our leader, Sheihk el-Zakzaky, and we are using this medium to send message to the oppressors that those who have carried out such attack and injustice will not go unpunished.
“The government of Kaduna State even admitted carrying out burial in a mass grave of over 370 of our members who were killed in 2015, you can imagine such manner of Injustice, so that is what we are fighting and we will not relent until justice is achieved. Our goal is to achieve mass revolution against Injustice,” he stressed.
Some of the survivors of the 2014 Qudus day killing who sustained several bullet shots on their legs recounted their ordeals which they described as unforgettable.
Speaking, Umar Musa, Yahusa Ibrahim said they had to undergo operations to remove bullets shot in their legs, adding that there was no provocation whatsoever from them during the peaceful procession, but the Army thought otherwise and opened fire at them.
“33 of our members who were part of the procession including three biological children of our leader was killed on that faithful day and one Igbo man known as Julius Onwaiwu was also killed for challenging the Army for the unwarranted killing on that day”.
A female, Hajiya Madina Jibril said her husband was among those arrested on that faithful day of the killings when they went to recover the corpses of those killed,.
She said the situation was traumatic for her, adding that she always have a very bad day each time she remembered how their members were killed .
