We didn’t attack Nigeria police, says IMN
- The Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites say they did not attack policemen at the National Assembly
- The spokesman of the forum said that police officers at the National Assembly gate fired live ammunition at its protesting members
- He also alleged that hoodlums organised by security agencies infiltrated their ranks to cause mayhem
The Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites, has denied reports that its members attacked police officers attached to the entrance of the National Assembly.
The spokesman of the forum, Abdullahi Musa, on Tuesday, July 9 said that police officers at the gate fired live ammunition at protesting members of the sect, killing two and one of their colleagues.
He said it was inconceivable that an unarmed person would attack a fully armed security personnel as being suggested in some quarters.
On the videos showing some youths attacking and vandalising vehicles, he said they are not members of the sect but hoodlums organised by the security agencies to infiltrate their ranks and cause mayhem.
READ ALSO: Shiites NASS invasion: Protesters used AK47 - Gravely injured policeman
According to him, the sect were marching to the National Assembly to ascertain the status of their petition concerning their detained leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife following an earlier meeting with a delegation of the House of Representatives led by Abdulhassan Ado Doguwa.
“As we reached the gate, the police officers shot tear gas at us and started shooting live bullets. In the process, they killed two of us and mistakenly shot one of them,” he told Daily Trust.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, on Tuesday, July 9, ordered 24 hours surveillance on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs to forestall break down of law and order.
A statement by DCP Frank Mba, the force public relations officer in Abuja said the IGP gave the order following a violent protest by members of the IMN in Abuja.
Adamu said the protest by the group at the National Assembly led to assault and injury to police personnel on lawful duty as well as willful damage to public properties.
READ ALSO: Abuja residents kick against shiites’ protests
In a related development, one Umar Abdullahi, a sergeant, who was one of the four injured policemen who were beaten up by rampaging Shiite members who invaded the National Assembly, has died.
The other injured officers include the Divisional Police Officer, who was stabbed in the arm, and two others. One of the officers was shot on the thigh while another was shot on the rib.
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