Shiites hold anti-France protest, burn country’s flag in Abuja
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria on Tuesday took to the streets of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, to protest against French President, Emmanuel Macron, over an offensive publication on Prophet Muhammad by a citizen of the European country.
Members of the sect in large numbers marched from Nitel Junction to Wuse Market and set the French flag ablaze, leading to pandemonium in the city.
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Secretary of the Academic Forum of the movement, Abdullahi Musa, said the rally was aimed at condemning the action of French President over the derogatory publication.
He said, “We set the French flag on fire in reaction to the attack on Islam and Muslims by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, since the heinous crime of publishing cartoons of the Prophet by the magazine Charlie Hebdo.”
The protest terminated at Wuse Market and forced vehicle owners to use alternative routes.
As at the time of this report, there were no security agents on the ground.
Recall that the Federal Capital Territory Administration had last Friday deployed anti-riot policemen and water canons to the National Mosque in anticipation of a protest by members of IMN.
