Two feared killed, score injured as Shiites, police clash in Kano

Two members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (also known as Shiites) were yesterday feared killed and a score injured during a clash with men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

According to an eyewitness, the pandemonium broke out during the yearly Arbaeen procession by members of sect, in their hundreds, from the popular Kofar Mazugal quarters in the morning to Kofar Nasarawa area for prayer to round off the exercise.

The source claimed that a detachment of the mobile policemen deployed in strategic locations within the metropolis to maintain peace disrupted the march by firing teargas and live bullets at the crowd.

In a statement in Kano, the president of the movement’s media forum, Ibrahim Musa alleged that two persons were killed by the force while many sustained injuries.

He said: “Two persons were killed by the police and the corpses were also taken away by the killers. Many people were also injured by the policemen drafted to stop the annual Arbaeen walk that started peacefully in the state.

“Thousands of IMN members started the trek in the morning around 10:00 a.m., prayed afternoon prayers and terminated today’s (yesterday) trek at the popular Lado overhead bridge. It was while people were dispersing that mobile policemen arrived the scene and started firing teargas and live bullets. A Muslim brother and sister were confirmed shot and killed by the police and their corpses taken by their attackers. Many people were injured.”

But the force spokesman, DSP Magaji Musa Majiya, denied any killing.

In a related development, troops of 152 Battalion, 21 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, popularly known as Operation Lafiya Dole, have said they killed many Boko Haram terrorists in an ambush on Banki-Bula Yobe road in Bama Local Council of Borno State.

A statement at the weekend in Abuja by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman said a good number of others escaped with gunshot wounds.

He added that a six-year-old boy was also recovered by the troops in another ambush against terrorists who were attempting to cross into the Sambisa forest along Bocost-Bama road, adding that the kid was receiving treatment at the Brigade’s medical facility.