Police Arrest 60 Protesting Shiite Muslims in Abuja

Matilda Omonaiye/

Sixty members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) aka Shiite Muslims, who allegedly shot and injured policemen in Abuja on Monday, have been held by the police.

The police spokesman at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), DSP Anjuguri Manzah, confirmed the arrest today during a visit to Garki Hospital where the injured officers are being treated.

Members of the sect defied warning from the police and staged the violent protest to demand for the release of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who has been in detention since 2016.

They injured officers were identified as SP Linus Ogah, who had bruises on his face and could hardly speak or open his eyes, and Inspector Mary Ameh, who sustained injury in one of her hands.

The spokesman said that bullet had been removed from Ameh’s hand, adding that the protesters also destroyed some police operational vehicles.

He said, “During the Monday protest, members of IMN or otherwise known as Shiites engaged police and hauled stones at police personnel deployed to disperse them.

“They also smashed some vehicle glasses parked around the Federal Secretariat.”

On April 16, the police had arrested 115 members of the sect, when they embarked on a similar violent protest to demand that their leader be freed.

Manzah, who said that though citizens had right to protest, warned that they should do that in a “civil manner’’ and not disturb public peace.

He added that the command had taken proactive measures to check violent protest in the territory.

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