Angry youths kill members of sect across Northern Nigeria

The burning of the home of Mukhtar Sahabi, a leader of the Shiite religious sect in Nigeria, has led to widespread violence in Kaduna, Jos and Katsina.

There are fears that the violence could spread further afield.

Scores of Shiites have also been clubbed to death, according to information just filtering into the Pulse newsroom.

Violence erupted after security agencies were ordered to break up annual processions of the Shiite sect across the country.

The Shiite sect embarks on processions this time each year to mourn the killing of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Hussein, in 680 AD.

The Shiites have been banned in Kaduna State and their activities were outlawed in Katsina.

Kaduna has been the epicenter of Shiite related violence and it was from the Crocodile State where it all unraveled on Wednesday.

Angry young men in Tudun Wada community in Kaduna South Local Government Area, seized four members of the Shiite sect before having them killed, according to news reports.

The house of the Shiite leader, Sahabi, was thereafter set ablaze.

One Shiite leader told that the Kaduna State Government instigated the youths against members of the sect.

“It’s the police that ordered the youths to attack us and to destroy our buildings,” said the unnamed Shiite leader.

Bashir Sani, who resides in the same community, also told the online newspaper that the youth broke into the Shiite leader’s house, carted away valuables before setting the house ablaze.

“The Shiite members died of injuries sustained while being lynched with sticks and machetes,” he said.

According to the BBC, the Police has confirmed that many Shia were wounded in Kaduna state when they came under attack from young men.

More than 100 members of the Shiite sect were rescued from the hands of blood-thirsty young men, according to a source who is on the ground in Kaduna.

The BBC also reports that in Jos, Plateau state, a Shia centre was set ablaze.

Youths have also killed Shia Muslims holding a religious procession in Funtua town, according to an story on the development.

An aide of Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, denied allegations from members of the sect that the Government was responsible for the fresh Shiite linked violence in the State.

“How will a responsible government do a thing like that? You should know better than to believe that kind of thing”, said the aide who asked that his name be left out of this story because he hadn’t been authorised to speak on the development.

Sunni Muslims make up the majority in Nigeria and often clash with Shiites during their annual processions.

According to the BBC, Shiites and Sunnis sharply disagree over Hussein's death.

The Shia-organised processions are called the day of Ashura in Islam.

Shiite leader, El-Zakzaky is still in detention in Nigeria. He was arrested after soldiers clashed with members of the Shiite sect in December, 2015.