Five people were feared killed Friday after a clash between Nigerian soldiers and Shiite Muslims in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The clash was said to have occurred around the PZ area of the town.
Punch reports:
The son of the Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, also known as Shiite, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, Mahmud, was among the five people killed as members of the sect reportedly clashed with soldiers on Friday in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Eyewitnesses said the sect’s members were on a procession to mark the annual Quds day and at the same time to condemn the military operations in Gaza by Israel, which started on July 8.
It was gathered that trouble started when there was a disagreement between the sect and the soldiers at a checkpoint around the PZ roundabout in Zaria.
The soldiers were said to have fired several warning shots, but the protesters were unmoved and defied the order of the soldiers.
At this point, the soldiers were said to have opened fire on the protesters and Mahmud El-Zakzaky, one of the leaders of the protest, was hit by hay of bullets.
Mahmud’s younger brother, Ahmed El-Zakzaky, was among the dozens of people arrested by the military.
A security source, who craved for anonymity because he was not permitted to speak on the matter, confirmed the incident but said the authorities of the Army were studying the situation.
As of the time of filing this report, there was confusion in the ancient city of Zaria.
This is coming in the wake of a twin bomb blasts in Kaduna, which claimed over 75 lives.