‘We’re not sorry for Zaria battle,’ Commanding Officer says

The General Officer Commanding, (GOC) 1 Mechanized Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, has said that the army would not apologize over its recent battle with Shiite Muslims in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Oyebade said further that the army would not allow any group or sect threaten the peace and stability of the country, Vanguard reports.

He is said to have made the comments on Wednesday, January 6, 2016, while addressing journalists at the Division’s headquarters in Kaduna.

“They are like any other sect in the land, but as long as they obey the law of the land no problem, but if any group chooses to challenge the authority of the land, it means they do not value the sanctity of life and the constitution of Nigeria,” Oyebade said.

“The army has paid heavily with the blood of its officers and men to protect this country, and so we have no apology to any group, either Shiite Islamic sect, Christian sect, even pagan sect that is threatening the peace of the country.

“We don’t have any issue with the Shiites or any sect at all in the land as long as they obey the law of the land. But if any group tends to challenge the constituted authority of the land, it means that such group does not respect the constitution of the land.

“Even in the military, we have Shiite members, but there is no issue with them because they are law abiding citizens. But we have issues with those who create a State within a State, and our rules of engagement are very clear, that is, when there is threat to a constituted authority, it must be arrested before it goes full blown.

“We know the business of violence but we apply it professionally if the peace of the land is being threatened, so we are appealing to Nigerians who are bent on causing violence stay off,” he added.

Oyebade had earlier said that the Army followed the necessary rules of engagement in handling the Zaria incident and as such could not be blamed.

Meanwhile, the Shiites have urged the Federal Government to reveal the location of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky if it truly wants a peaceful resolution to the crisis between the group and the army.

Iran has also said via its Foreign Ministry that it had taken necessary steps to warn Nigeria on the continued detention of El-Zakzaky.

Soldiers engaged the Shiites in a battle after the group allegedly attempted to assassinate Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai on Saturday, December 12, 2015.

The conflict escalated after soldiers surrounded El-Zakzakyhome and arrested him. The Shiites have claimed that about 1000 members of the group died during the confrontation.

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Watch video of confrontation between Army and Shiites below: