FCT minister urged to get his security council to restore order in Abuja following clashes with Shiites

FEDERAL Capital Territory (FCT) minister Mallam Bello Muhammad has been instructed to summon a meeting of his security council to address the recent violence of the last week that has resulted in dozens of deaths and the arrest of about 400 Shiite Muslims.

 

Over the last week, the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has held protests in Abuja and several other cities demanding the release of its spiritual leader Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. In 2015, Sheikh El-Zakzaky was arrested after his members had a confrontation with the motorcade of the chief of army staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai, in Zaria, Kaduna State and has been in detention since.

 

Despite the fact that the IMN protests were largely peaceful, the police and army opened fire on the protesters, killing scores and arresting hundreds of marchers. With Abuja in a state of flux, the Federal Executive Council met yesterday and directed Mallam Muhammad to find a way of restoring order within the FCT.

 

Information minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said: “This matter came up for discussion and the minister of the Federal Capital Territory has been asked to take the matter up with his own security committee."

 

About 26 people were reportedly killed and many others injured during clashes between soldiers and IMN  in Zuba, Mararaba/Nyanya and Abuja over the last three days. On Tuesday, the FCT Police Command announced the arrest of some IMN members caught with 31 bottles of petrol bombs and other dangerous weapons which they were bringing into Abuja.

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