The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, popularly known as Shiite group has distanced itself from the alleged killing of a police officer attached to the FCT Command, ASP Ezekiel Adama, during its Quds Procession in Abuja.
Recall that the FCT police spokesperson, Mariam Yusuf, in a statement on Saturday, claimed that the police officer was stabbed to death by members of the Shiite group during a violent protest in Abuja.
But the President, Media Forum of the IMN, Ibrahim Musa, described the statement as fake and mischievous.
According to him, the entire content of the police statement is fabricated and meant to further spread their mischief.
He said: “That fake and mischievous statement didn’t come to us as a surprise because, as we had earlier stated before, the government had concluded diabolic plots to associate the Movement with terrorism through series of false flag operations. This undoubtedly must be one of such.
“The entire content of the police statement is fabricated and meant to further spread their mischief. The general public is therefore urged to disregard it and treat it as a vile lie that it is.”
Setting the record straight, the IMN spokesperson said: “This year’s Quds Procession was peacefully conducted in at least 30 Nigerian towns and cities, including Kaduna, Kano, Zaria, Sokoto, Katsina and Jos to mention a few.
“It was the same in Abuja. The only difference being that a combined team of security forces, in keeping with their diabolic schemes and in a show of shame, tracked participants on their way home after the procession had ended, to indiscriminately and without provocation open fire.
“As a result, many participants were injured, while scores were arrested, simply for participating in a peaceful procession that had ended without any incident.
“All that these participants were carrying with them were Palestinian flags and banners with inscriptions of solidarity with the oppressed people.
“It should be noted that this is not the first time the FCT Police Command was framing such a trumped-up charge against members of the Islamic Movement.
“In 2019, they killed a news reporter and a Senior police officer and alleged that both were murdered by members of the Islamic Movement.
“Evidences, including autopsy report, later proved that both were killed by police bullets. Additionally, they were unable to prove their allegation in a court of law, where they falsely charged over 60 members of the Islamic Movement.
“Finally, we hereby demand the unconditional release of all the scores of innocent members of the Islamic Movement the police wrongly arrested and are in its custody.
“We also hold the NPF directly responsible for all those injured as police seemingly shot to punish them for participating in a peaceful procession.”
