Abuja, FCT – Chaos erupted in the Wuse district of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Sunday when members of the Shiite group, known as the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), clashed with the police during the Arba’een symbolic trek. The confrontation led to several deaths, injuries, and the destruction of police vehicles.
Josephine Adeh, the spokesperson for the FCT police, confirmed that two police officers were killed, three were left unconscious and had to be rushed to the hospital, and three police vehicles were set ablaze.
“The FCT police command wishes to confirm an unprovoked attack by the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria, popularly known as the ‘Shiite’ group, on some personnel of the Nigeria Police Force attached to FCT command at Wuse Junction by traffic light, where two police personnel were killed, three left unconscious in the hospital, and three police patrol vehicles set ablaze,” Adeh stated.
The police claimed that the IMN members attacked their checkpoint with machetes, homemade bombs made from bottles filled with kerosene, and knives. Several arrests were made, and the police have reportedly brought the situation under control.
The Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Benneth Igweh, also confirmed the deaths and injuries to his officers and the destruction of police vehicles. He vowed to bring those responsible to justice and reassured the public that normalcy had been restored.
In response, Sidi Mainasara, spokesperson for the IMN, accused the police of attacking their peaceful religious procession. He claimed that the police action led to the deaths and injuries of many mourners during the Arba’een trek.
“We wish to inform the public that police have attacked the ongoing Arba’een Symbolic Trek at Wuse District in Abuja and killed numerous mourners. While trying to disperse the Arbaeen Trek, the police killed and injured numerous mourners,” Mainasara stated.
Mainasara added that security agents were arresting participants of the Arba’een trek, and medical practitioners were attending to those critically injured. He promised to provide details of those killed, injured, and arrested in due course.
He also mentioned that similar events held in Masaka and Zuba the day before had ended peacefully.
This is not the first time such violent clashes have occurred between the IMN and security forces. Similar incidents were reported in 2016, 2018, and 2020, particularly in northern states outside of the FCT. For instance, in 2018, a bloody confrontation between Shiite, IMN members, the police, and the Nigerian Army during the Arba’een procession left several dead and many injured.
In that incident, the Nigerian Army accused the Shiite IMN members of attacking soldiers and policemen at a checkpoint in Abuja. The Army reported that they were forced to repel the attack after the group allegedly fired weapons and threw homemade explosives at them.
“Troops of the Nigerian Army deployed on routine duty at Kugbo/ Karu bridge checkpoint of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were attacked by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) sect at about 3:00 pm on 29th October 2018. The sect in massive numbers forced their way into the troops checkpoint after overrunning the Police Force. The police withdrew back to our troops position to join efforts to repel them,” a statement from the Army read.
In the wake of Sunday’s incident, the FCT Police Command has promised to keep the public updated on further developments.
