Shiites accuse police of burning own van
According to IMN, last Saturday during the mourning by the Shiites in Kaduna, a detachment of policemen from the Kaduna command attacked the mourners. Photo: martinsvillebulletin
Urge IGP to probe incident
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), known as Shiites, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to probe the circumstances surrounding the burning of a police operational vehicle.
It claimed that the security operatives set the pick-up van ablaze themselves to implicate members of the Islamic group.
According to IMN, last Saturday during the mourning by the Shiites in Kaduna, a detachment of policemen from the Kaduna command attacked the mourners without provocation and set their vehicle on fire.
The spokesman of IMN, Ibrahim Musa, said yesterday that the armed policemen, who set the vehicle on fire, were caught in camera.
Meanwhile, the petition signed by Musa called on the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, “to set up a panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the senseless act of destruction of own property.”
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The policemen, he alleged, were caught on camera setting their own operational vehicle ablaze shortly after they opened fire on the mourners, killing three people and wounding dozens of others.
“Many other vehicles belonging to members of the Islamic movement were also vandalised by the rampaging policemen, who also set houses ablaze and made a number of arrests.
“It was not immediately clear why policemen would deliberately set their own vehicle on fire. But it might not be unconnected with their attempts at framing members of the Islamic movement, who were solemnly mourning the brutal murder of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad as is done in many parts of the Islamic world each year during this period.”
The petition written by the Shiites read in part: “In exercise of our constitutional rights to practise the religion of our choice, including its observances, practices and rites, Shiites resident in Kaduna gathered to solemnly commemorate the brutal killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of our Prophet Muhammad, as enshrined in our doctrines and practised in all parts of the Islamic world in this first Islamic month of Al-Muharram.”
