Clashes between Nigerian shi’ites and policemen in the north central city of Kaduna left at least one cop dead on Thursday, police said.
The police inspector died while being taken to Barau Dikko Hospital after he sustained injuries in the clashes.
Local newspaper, Premium Times, quoted an eye witness simply identified as Sani, as saying that the officer was attacked along Ibrahim Taiwo Road, by Ahmadu Bello Way in the state capital.
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) were protesting the arraignment of their leader, Ibrahim El-zakzaky, who was taken to court on Thursday after almost three years in detention.
Mr. Zakzaky and his wife were arrested in December 2015 following clashes between Shiites and Nigerian soldiers.
Amnesty International estimated that hundreds of Shiites were killed by soldiers attached to the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.
Body of a policeman killed by Shiites who clashed with Nigerian policemen in Kaduna on Thursday June 21, 2018
The Army claimed Shi’ites were trying to assassinate General Buratai, a Sunni Muslim. But the Shi’ites countered that argument, saying that they were having their annual celebration when the Army launched an unprovoked attack and killed thousands of their members
Police car damaged by Shiites who clashed with Nigerian policemen in Kaduna on Thursday June 21, 2018
IMN said President Muhammadu Buhari, a Sunni Muslim, was waging a bloody war against Shi’ite Muslims, and was helping Saudi Arabia in its proxy war against against Iran in Nigeria.
As protests went on outside the court room, Mr. El-zakzaky’s arraignment was stalled by the absence of the trial judge in court.
The Shi’ites had repeatedly staged peaceful protests against the Nigerian government’s decision to continue detaining their leader despite court orders that he should be released.
The government once claimed he was being detained for his good against some unknown people who were bent on attacking him.
The Shiites rejected that argument, saying Zakzaky wanted freedom, not protective custody.
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