TheCable

Abdullahi Musa, spokesman of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), has alleged that 17 members of the sect were shot dead in Abuja on Monday.

He said over 100 IMN members who sustained injuries during a protest on Monday were arrested by the police “from their sickbed”.

Musa, who spoke via telephone with TheCable, said the injured members were receiving treatment at the Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital when they were arrested.

Members of IMN had taken to the streets of Abuja to demand the release of Ibrahim Zakzaky, their leader, who has been in detention since 2015.

The protest, which began from NITEL junction at Wuse zone 2, was disrupted by armed policemen who cordoned off the road leading to the national assembly and three arms zone.

Bullets were fired at the protesters as they advanced towards the Eagle Square.

Musa lamented the “brute force” used by the police on peaceful protesters, vowing that the #FreeZakzaky protest would continue despite the killings of their members.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that protesting Shi’ites burnt down two of its emergency ambulances.

In a statement, Sani Datti, NEMA’s head of media and public relations, said the ambulances were burnt down at the agency’s emergency response and ambulance bays (ERABs) in Abuja.

He added that the ERABs were situated at the location for timely response to emergencies in order to reduce loss of lives and property.

“This is to confirm that the Emergency Response and Ambulance Bays (ERABs) of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) located on Ahmadu Bello Way beside the Federal Secretariat was attacked today with two vehicles burnt down,” the statement read.

“Members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria commonly known as Shi’ites carried out the attack. The two burnt vehicles were the Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU), which is a life support ambulance and a multi-purpose Response Intervention Van (Rescue Tender).

“The ERABs was situated at the location for timely response to emergencies and disasters to reduce loss of lives and property.

“Director General of NEMA, Engr Mustapha Maihaja has visited the response bay and inspected the damage.”