Shiites accuse military of plans to disrupt procession

As members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites conclude arrangements to celebrate this year’s Qud’s Day in major towns in the north and other parts of the country, the group has accused the Nigerian military of plans to distrust the procession marking the event.

Qud’s Day is celebrated to show solidarity for the plight of Palestinians and it is marked every last week of the month of Ramadan.

The group at the weekend also appeal to the Federal Government to release its leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who has been in custody since December last year.

A statement yesterday by the spokesperson of IMN, Mallam Ibrahim Musa, said that: “The Islamic Movement in Nigeria has received intelligence reports indicating that Nigerian security agents have planned to carry out false flag operations to unleash mayhem in some unmentioned cities in the country, in an attempt to scuttle the marking of Qud’s Day celebration in the country.”

This yearly event, the IMN had peacefully marked successively for the past three decades in solidarity with the Palestinians every last week of the Holy month of Ramadan,” he stated.

Musa added that: “Two years ago, the event held simultaneously in more than 20 towns and cities across Nigeria, but it was only in Zaria that soldiers under the command of Lt. Col. S.O. Okuh brutally attacked the peaceful protesters, killing 34 people, including three children of our leader El-Zakzaky.”

According to him: “We want the general public to know that any act of violence done in our name is not from us, and we hereby dissociate ourselves from it. We will mark the annual international Qud’s Day as has been the tradition just as it will be marked simultaneously all over the world. Nigeria cannot be an exception. We will bring out the name of Nigeria to take its rightful place among the comity of nations.”