‎Zaria: We killed 7, Army says as Sultan calls for probe

A call has been made by Nigeria’s highest Muslim body, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) to the Federal Government to set up a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to demystify the circumstances surrounding the killing of some Shi’ite members following a reported clash between them and men of the Nigerian army in Zaria.

NSCIA in a statement through its Secretary General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, under the leadership of its President-General, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, said “it was shocked and saddened by the current outbreak of deadly violence in Zaria‎.”

This is even as the Nigerian army has disclosed that it killed seven Shiite Muslims in Zaria, Kaduna State to save the life of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai’s life.

The army said it wounded 10 other members of the group while repelling an attack by the group against Buratai’s convoy on Saturday.

It said the shooting by the troops accompanying the COAS’ convoy was “in line with Rules of Engagement” – and aimed at saving the life of the COAS from “heavily armed” members of the Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zazaky-led Shiite sect.

Read also: Army Chief, Buratai escapes assassination attempt

But the statement of the NSCIA noted that “at a time Nigeria is facing serious challenges, the least expected is a confrontation between the Nigerian Army and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria.‎ The loss of lives and property is indeed unfortunate and such should have been prevented.”

It noted that while there are claims and counter-claims on what actually precipitated the latest heart-rending incident,‎ the NSCIA‎ urged the authorities to exercise restraint, pointing out that the history of the circumstances that engendered the outbreak of militant insurgency in the past, with cataclysmic consequences that Nigeria is yet to recover from, should not be allowed to repeat itself.

“We urge the Federal Government to immediately constitute a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to thoroughly unravel the immediate and remote causes of the current mayhem. Besides, the Commission should also investigate the past incidents involving the Movement so that justice can be done,” NSCIA stated.

The army’s version of the conflict was contained in the “Occurrence Report” prepared by the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police and attached to a petition submitted by the office of the COAS to the headquarters of the National Human
Rights Commission in Abuja on

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