Two Shi’ites killed in Kano during Arba’een trek

All is not well with members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites, as two of them were allegedly killed by suspected security operatives in Kano State.

A statement signed by the spokesman for the group, Ibrahim Musa, over the weekend said the Shiites were allegedly killed by police officers deployed to stop the group from conducting the annual Arba’een trek.

He said the members started the trek from Kofar Mazugal within the Kano metropolis, “where armed mobile policemen arrived the scene and started firing teargas and eventually live bullets which led to the death of one male and female members of the group.”

Meanwhile, a London based human rights group, IHRC, has reacted to the purported incident in a statement in which it called for restraint on the part of the police authorities in the state.

“We are deeply concerned at reports of this build-up given the past attacks on the Islamic Movement by the police and armed forces.

“We demand the Nigeria Police authorities de-escalate the situation immediately,” the statement said.

Although there was no official statement from the police, sources within the force told Channels Television that processions which may cause tension had been banned in the state.

The source said, “The Kano Command of the Nigeria Police has banned any procession, including religious and political agitations that may likely results to tensions among the good people of the state. Therefore, members of the IMN were not exceptional.”

On whether the report of the killing the Shiites was true, the source said he has no security.