In Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, recent violent clashes between soldiers and members of the Shiite Muslim group, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), resulted in the deaths of six individuals, as reported by police on Saturday.
Among the deceased were one security official and five IMN members who got caught in the unrest on Friday.
The violence unfolded during a march by IMN in support of Palestinians in their ongoing conflict with Israel.
This demonstration was aligned with International Quds Day, an annual event observed on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to show global solidarity with Palestinians.
IMN’s demonstrations have historically turned volatile, linking back to a notable incident in 2015 when the military intensified operations against the group and detained its leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.
Although El-Zakzaky has since been released, the organization persists in its nationwide protests.
IMN, a relatively small Shiite movement accounting for about 5% of Nigeria’s 100 million Muslim population, mostly consisting of Sunnis, was initially influenced by the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Their goal was to establish an Islamic State in Nigeria through non-violent methods. However, a governmental ban was placed on the group in 2019 due to previous deadly confrontations and alleged links to extremism.
Sidi Munir Sokoto, an IMN spokesperson, maintained that their procession was peaceful, accusing the military of initiating an unwarranted attack that led to the loss of their members’ lives.
According to Sokoto, this event marks another instance of security forces overstepping boundaries by harming civilians peacefully exercising their rights.
Conversely, police narratives on the incident highlighted that IMN members were allegedly armed with firearms and traditional weapons, retaliating with “intense gunfire” leading to casualties — including the death of a security officer and causing injuries to three others.
Authorities responded to an emergency call, which escalated the confrontation.
In the aftermath, nineteen individuals were taken into custody in connection with the clashes, confirmed Josephine Adeh, Abuja’s police spokesperson, assuring ongoing investigations to hold accountable all those responsible for the violence.
Meanwhile, human rights organization Amnesty International criticized the Nigerian military’s approach, stating that their methods seemingly targeted innocent protestors in a lethal manner.
Amnesty International emphasized that firearms should not be used against demonstrators and urged a comprehensive, independent investigation into the incident, as backed by international laws governing the protection of civilians.