Soldiers Kill Zakzaky’s Wife, Son, Destroy Shiites’ Headquarters, Leader’s Whereabouts Unknown
According to reports, Nigerian soldiers may have killed a wife and a son of
Nigeria’s foremost Shiite leader, Sheik Ibraheem Zakzaky, in an ongoing
military operation against the sect in Zaria, Kaduna State. Ibrahim
Musa, President of the Media Forum of Islamic Movement of Nigeria,
disclosed the killings in a statement released today.
SaharaReporters
was unable to independently confirm the news and a conversation with one
of his sons who didn't want to be named shows the Shia Sheik and his
wife are still alive.
Mr. Musa also claimed that the military destroyed the sect’s
headquarters as well as the residence of the Shiite leader. According to
him, Sheik Zakzaky’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Mr. Musa and another member of the sect, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, declared that Nigerian troops were engaged in indiscriminate
killing of members of the Islamic sect, with its headquarters in Zaria.
They stated that soldiers had killed some prominent members of the
Shiite sect as well as followers. Among the reported casualties were the
leader of the group’s Kano Center, Sheikh Muhammad Turi, Mustapha
Sa’eed, Ibrahim Usman, and a major female member, Jummai Gilima.
According to Mr. Musa’s statement, “The sporadic killings took place
at three different locations that include the residence of the revered
leader of the Movement at Gyallesu, the Husainiyya Bakiyatullah at the
GRA and the Darur Rahma located along Zaria-Jos Road where many
[unarmed] people were killed.
“The killing was so brutal at Gyallesu that even those injured in the
shooting were identified and killed in cold blood by the soldiers. And
as at the time of writing this press release, the victims run into their
hundreds, if not thousands.
“Considering
the gross violation of fundamental human rights and extra-judicial
killings perpetrated by the Nigerian Army, the Islamic Movement hereby
condemns these unjustifiable acts.”
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