Shiite protesters clash with police on Keffi-Abuja Highway
Hundreds of Shiite protesters clashed with police on Tuesday as they marched along the Keffi-Abuja Highway, demanding the release of their leader, Ibrahim el-Zakzaky.
The protesters, who belong to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), a minority religious group in the predominantly Sunni Muslim country, were seen chanting slogans and carrying banners with Zakzaky’s picture.
Zakzaky, a prominent Shiite cleric and critic of the Nigerian government, has been in detention since 2015 on charges of murder, which his supporters say are fabricated. He has been denied access to medical care and his trial has been repeatedly delayed.
The police tried to disperse the protesters with tear gas and live ammunition, resulting in several injuries and arrests. The police accused the protesters of being armed and violent, while the protesters claimed they were peaceful and unarmed.
The IMN has been staging regular protests across Nigeria for years, calling for Zakzaky’s freedom and justice for the victims of the 2015 Zaria massacre, when the Nigerian army killed more than 300 Shiites in a raid on Zakzaky’s compound.
The IMN is the most widely known Shiite group in Nigeria, where the vast majority of Muslims are Sunni. It was founded in the late 1970s by Zakzaky, who was inspired by the Iranian revolution. The group has faced persecution and repression from both the state and some Sunni groups, who view them as heretics and foreign agents.
The Nigerian government has declared the IMN a terrorist organization and banned its activities, but the group has vowed to continue its struggle until Zakzaky is released and their rights are respected.
