The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, has said that it lost over 100 members in Monday’s clash with the Nigerian Police contrary to the reports by the Police that only 9 people, including a police officer, lost their lives in the violence.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Shiite Islamic sect claimed that security agents dumped 40 corpses of its members at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano.
The group said that the police clampdown on its activities were unwarranted and unprovoked.
The statement read in part: “the police simply clamped down on a peaceful symbolic trek embarked upon by IMN from Kano to Zaria, Kaduna State, with teargas and live bullets.
“Several IMN members were injured in the unprovoked attack. The police fabricated lies to justify their action, claiming that the IMN engaged them in a shootout whereas there are no evidences of any IMN member carrying any weapon as depicted by pictures and videos of the attack.
“Nigerian Police in Kano Murdered 100+ IMN members with a bullet hitting one of them. Over 40 bodies of those killed by the Nigeria Security forces were dumped at Murtala Hospital alone in Kano.
“The whereabouts of other bodies ferried away by the police in Kano still remains unknown.”
The IMN also stated that “the government has remained silent since the incident as several tens of the injured are with police without medical attention.”
Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, while reacting to the incident, defended his men, saying they acted in self defence.
Speaking with State House correspondents on Tuesday after attending the inauguration of the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Emblem and Appeal Fund at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Idris said that rather than condemning the police, Nigerians should sympathise with them.
He said: “I think, as Nigerians, we have to appreciate a dangerous situation, and be sympathetic with the policemen that are being killed by some of these miscreants.
“I agree with what you said (that Nigerians should not be killed while quelling riot) but when you have Nigerians armed to the teeth, killing police officers, I don’t think it happens anywhere.”
The IGP reiterated that the police have the responsibility to ensure law and order which is why they moved against the group which is notorious for trouble making.
He added that it was unlawful for the sect members to block a major road.
“Obviously from time to time, we have been experiencing upheavals from this set of people.
“As police officers, we have a responsibility to ensure there is law and order and when you have people taking over the whole country, dominating streets and buildings, we have to come in to maintain sanity in those areas,” Idris said.