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Zaria: Army, Shi’ite group argue over who started fight

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The Nigerian army and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria are blaming each other for the clash that led to the death of some members of the shi’ite group in Zaria, Kaduna over the weekend.

Reports indicate that at least 20 members of the sect were killed, even as the sect claimed that those killed, included the leader of the Kano Centre, Sheikh Muhammad Turi, the son of sect leader, Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife.

Meanwhile, the where about of the leader of the sect, Zakzaky was unknown as the sect claimed that hundreds of its members were killed by soldiers who stormed three of its locations with heavy military weapons.

It was gathered that the troops engaged members of the sect throughout the night as heavy shootings and sounds of explosions were heard in Gyallesu and Sokoto Road, where Hussainiyya – the spiritual centre of the sect – is located.
There are also reports that the leader of the group, Zakzaky may have been arrested.

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Trouble reportedly started when the military cracked down on the sect for blocking the highways during their public procession in Zaria, Kaduna State.

While the army accuse the sect members of attempting to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai, the Islamic Movement said soldiers opened fire on defenceless innocent people who were on a peaceful procession.

The Islamic Movement claimed that over 500 of their members were killed by soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna State. They called on the international community and human rights groups to probe the killings.
The Islamic movement has over a million members, mostly in Kaduna and Kano states.

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