AT least four people reportedly lost their lives when the police fired shots to disperse a procession by members of the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, in Kaduna, on Friday.
The movement embarked on the procession to mark the International Quds Day.
The Shi’ites reportedly trooped out in a large number in the state metropolis when the law enforcement operatives, particularly the Nigeria Police, moved to stop them.
This newspaper reports that the Shiites had assembled near the Katsina roundabout along Ahmadu Bello Way prior to the arrival of the police.
The situation caused tension and unease among the citizens, especially those with businesses situated along Ahmadu Bello Way as shots were fired by the police to disperse the protesters.
Our correspondent gathered that 20 persons were injured in the incident.
But Police Public Relations Officer in Kaduna, ASP Mansir Hasan. said three police personnel were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment.
He said no IMN member was killed as live ammunition was not used to dispense the procession.
Speaking during the procession, Professor Dauda Nalado, a member of the IMN, said the Quds day is celebrated annually during the month of Ramadan.
According to him, “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 then 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.