Shiites, police encounter records casualties

As predicted earlier, the police and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria eventually clashed Tuesday, leaving three dead in Kaduna.

But Kaduna State Police Command has denied killing anybody.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, explained that the protesters were dispersed professionally and that no one was killed.

Although, the two sides clashed in Bakin Ruwa area of the state as the sect were gathering to proceed on Ashura Day procession when the incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday.

Shi’ites claimed three of their members were killed in the process.

“What happened to us this morning was not a clash. It was an attack on armless members of IMN. We were observing an event in the Islamic calendar which is called Ashura mourning as a procession,” said Aliyu Umar, one of the sect leaders

“We were on our way to observe this procession. We were doing it peacefully as we were doing it before when Policemen attacked us, shooting live bullets at us where they killed three people and wounded many others. I’m yet to confirm the number of those that were wounded.”

The federal government has outlawed the sect, but the matter is still in court as the group claim they have their freedom of association–and religious belief