Unrest: More Shi’ite Members Arrested Over Clash With Police Operatives
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police command has paraded no fewer than 94 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ites, arrested during a clash with security operatives in Abuja on Sunday.
The police, in a statement by the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, had announced that they arrested 97 Shi’ites over Sunday’s violence wherein two policemen were killed and three others critically injured.
Addressing the media in Abuja on Tuesday, Sheikh Rabiu Abdullahi, a prominent leader of the movement, expressed deep concerns over what he termed as ongoing human rights violations by the police authorities.
The group stated that the detainees arrested during the recent Arba’een Trek in Abuja are being denied access to legal representation and visits from family members.
According to Abdullahi, scores of IMN members were arrested during the Arba’een Trek, an annual religious procession.
He explained that the police attacked a private primary school around Airport Road on Monday, destroying properties and arresting innocent people.
The group condemned the police for their actions at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada, FCT Abuja, on August 27, where patients were allegedly arrested and detained.
However, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh, while addressing journalists on Friday during a parade of suspects which include young men, women, and infants at the command headquarters in Abuja, said interrogations were ongoing.
He noted that the suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.
He said, “On 25/08/2024 at about 11:30AM, six (6) Police personnel drafted from various divisions and posted to Wuse market junction came under sudden and unprovoked attack by members of the proscribed sect called “Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN)” AKA Shiite.
“The six (6) police officers, who were attacked by the suspects wielding Dane-guns, machetes, IEDs and stones, were rushed to Muhammadu Buhari Police Hospital where ASP Innocent Agabi and Inspector Alex Odeh were confirmed dead by medical doctors on duty while four (4) other officers are on admission and in critical condition. Members of the Sect also set ablaze three (3) patrol vehicles and damaged one other.
“So far, ninety-four (94) members of the proscribed sect linked to the heinous attack are in custody. Interrogations are ongoing and suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.”
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