There was panic, yesterday, when members of the Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky-led Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shi’ites, stormed the streets of Kaduna to protest the continued incarceration of their leader were dispersed by teargas fired into the air by the Police.
Several members of the group were injured during the protest.
El-Zakzaky and his wife, Hajiya Zeenat, among some other members of the group, are facing charges in a Kaduna State High Court and Magistrate Court, respectively, after being arrested in December 2015, following a clash with the military in Zaria.
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The Shi’ite, in their thousands, made up of mainly of young men and women, commenced the protest immediately after the Friday Juma’at prayer along Kano road by shouting “Allahu Akbar (Allah is greatest), free our leader.”
As they stormed Ahmadu Bello Way, they were confronted by policemen, who shot several canisters of teargas into the air, forcing the protesters to scatter in different directions.
The protesters had caused apprehension among residents and Muslim faithful praying in the area, forcing them to scamper for safety for fear of being victims of another crisis. This was compounded by the Police teargas, with residents in the immediate vicinity running for cover.
The Police thereafter cleared Ahmadu Bello Way, Kano Road, Ibadan Street and Abeokuta Street, among others, while directing traffic to enable people move freely as traffic jam was already building up.
It was not immediately ascertained if any of the protesters was arrested in the process.
(The Guardian)
