One Killed in Police, Shiite Clash in Kaduna

Group raises the alarm over Zakzaky’s deteriorating health

John Shiklam

The police have allegedly killed one person and wounded several others while trying to disperse protesting Shitte members in Kaduna.

The Islamic group had staged a protest at about 5p.m. yesterday, demanding the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife who have been in detention since December 2015, following a clash with the Nigerian Army.

The protest which held along the Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna, was said to have turned violent when policemen started shooting into the air to disperse the Shiite members.

The spokesman of the Islamic group, Ibrahim Musa, confirmed the killing of one person, adding that several others were injured.

But the police in a swift reaction, said no life was lost.

The spokesman of the state police command, Mukhtar Aliyu, said in an interview that policemen were deployed to the Leventis Roundabout after getting reports that the Shiites were about to embark on a protest march.

Aliyu said the police was there to disperse the procession as the state government had banned such processions from holding in the state.

He said in the course of doing that however, there was an altercation and two civilians and one policeman were injured.

He said the situation was however brought under control and normalcy had returned to the place.

Aliyu said some of the protesters had been arrested and would soon be charged to court.

Meanwhile, memebrs of the Shitte group have raised the alarm over the deteriorating health condition of Zakzaky.

A statement yesterday by its spokesman, Musa, said Zakzaky’s health condition in the past two days was worrisome.

“From a rare visit to our leader, Zakzaky, it has been confirmed to us that his health has suffered a severe knock in the past two days, such that he is critically ill and in urgent need of the best medical attention possible,” Musa said in the statement.

“We have seen this coming because of his age – almost clocking 67 years old, and the several gunshots wounds he sustained during the murderous attack on his home by the military in December, 2015,” the statement added.

Musa said followers of the Shiite leader are very agitated by his deplorable health condition.

“We are deeply concerned and disenchanted by the attitude of this administration towards our peaceful protests and demands that the Sheikh and his wife be released as ordered by a federal high court in Abuja.

“It seems those holding our leader captive are just waiting for time to kill him, since Allah has rescued him from their attempt to kill him using their military might.

“The fact that for the past two years our Sheikh has endured all the mental and physical torture he has been subjected to by the Buhari administration is enough miracle from Allah the Almighty,” the statement said.

The statement maintained that despite the alleged vigorous campaign of calumny against Zakzaky by his detractors, he still enjoins the support and sympathy of millions of people.”

“The Islamic movement do hereby unequivocally call on the federal government to listen to the voice of reason and release our leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky to go and look after his failing health.

“It is foolhardy for the government while being contemptuous of a court order releasing him; he is denied access to a better health care. We are appealing to people of conscience, human rights organisations and the international community to prevail upon this administration to tread the path of caution and justice and pave way for our leader to go and look after his health properly. Nothing short of this will calm our frayed nerves.

“Peaceful protests were held to sensitised the public of our plight in various cities across the country on Sunday, January 7, 2018. More are coming until our demands are met,” Musa said.