Updated: Four killed, three police injured in Kaduna as police, Shiites clash

Updated: Four killed, three police injured in Kaduna as police, Shiites clash

Four persons were reportedly killed in Kaduna on Friday when policemen clashed with members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites, during a procession to mark the International Quds Day.

The police denied claims by the Shiite that four people were killed but confirmed three of its men sustained injury just as 23 members of the Shiite group were wounded.

Newstrends learnt that the Shiite members had gathered around the Katsina roundabout by Ahmadu Bello Way for the procession when the police arrived at place trying to disperse them in a bid to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

This caused panic and fears among residents of the area.

Many were said to have closed their shops for fear of being caught up in the fracas.

The police said the IMN had been proscribed by the Federal Government and insisted the procession was unlawful.

Spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan, said the IMN members came out in the morning with dangerous weapons and started attacking innocent residents in the name of procession.

He said, “We got the information that the members of the proscribed IMN were going to hold a massive protest in the state and the command deployed its men to most of the strategic places to stop them from blocking the road, especially Ahmadu Bello Way Kaduna.

“On sighting our men deployed there, the IMN members started throwing stones, firing catapults, and locally made guns against our men which led to three of our men sustaining injuries and now receiving treatment at a police clinic.”

He also said some suspects in possession of dangerous weapons were arrested and would be charged to court.

On the claims that four were killed, he said, “Where are the bodies of those killed? If they claimed four of their members were killed, where are the bodies and which hospital were they taken to? Our men didn’t use live ammunition but only used teargas to disperse them.”