Group denies attempting to kill Buratai

The Shiite Movement has denied claims made by the Nigerian Army that the group attempted to assassinate Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai in Zaria, Kaduna State on Saturday, December 12, 2015.

Soldiers engaged members of the group in a gun battle after the alleged assassination attempt in a supposed counter-attack.

The Shiites made the denial via a statement released by spokesman, Ibrahim Musa.

It reads:

“Following alleged blockade of the route of the Chief of Army Staff by the members of the Movement, the Nigerian Army brutally descended on armless members of the Movement with heavy military weapons killing indiscriminately.”

“In the meantime, leading members of the Islamic Movement and other members as well, have been killed by the soldiers including the leader of the Kano Center, Sheikh Muhammad Turi, Dr. Mustapha Sa’eed, Malam Ibrahim Usman and Sister Jummai Gilima.”

“Also killed were Sayyid Aliy, the son of the leader of the Movement, Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky; the wife of Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky, Malama Zeenat Ibraheem and tens of other members as more are being killed as at the time of this release.”

“The sporadic killings took place at three locations that included the residence of the revered leader of the Movement at Gyallesu, the Husainiyya Bakiyatullah at the GRA and the Darur Rahma located along Zaria-Jos road where many unarmed people were killed.”

“The killing was so brutal at Gyallesu that even those injured in the shooting were identified and killed in cold blood by the soldiers. And as at the time of writing this press release, the victims are in their hundreds, if not thousands.”

“Considering the gross violation of fundamental human rights and extra-judicial killings perpetrated by the Nigerian Army, the Islamic Movement hereby condemns these unjustifiable acts.”

“We state categorically that the claim by the Army that members of the Movement attempted to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff was a blatant lie as the army came back to launch their attack more than an hour after the COAS had passed.”

“Clearly, the Nigerian government through its military is now on rampage in an all-out war with the Islamic movement, its members and structures. The scale of this attack would suggest it was meticulously planned by authorities and now being executed ruthlessly.”

“The alleged attack on COAS Buratai was just an alibi. Therefore, with all pointers at the government as the contractor of the killings, we hereby call on well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to intervene and seek redress for the victims and their family members as many innocent people have unjustifiably been killed and many others severely injured.”

In the meantime, there is no idea as to the where about of the leader of the Movement, Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky nor his current condition, and aggrieved members of the Movement across the country have taken to the streets in protests”.

The army is said to havearrested the group’s leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky while the Shiites have claimed that 500 members of the group were killed in the attack.

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