Zaria crisis: 61 bodies deposited at ABUTH

Lawal Khalid, the chief medical director of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, says its mortuary has received 61 dead bodies from the ongoing turmoil.

The professor confirmed this on Tuesday as soldiers barricaded the road leading to Zaria, apparently to fish out members of the Shi’ia sect which has been having a confrontation with the military since Saturday.

The soldiers mounted check points at Dogarawa village, near Zaria.

They are thoroughly screening motorists entering the city.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has set up a panel to probe the clash.

The panel, which is headed by Tony Ojukwu, a director at the commission, was set up following a petition by the army alleging that members of the sect attempted to assassinate Tukur Buratai, its chief of staff, along Sokoto road in Zaria, Kaduna state, last Saturday.

According to the army,  members of the sect on the orders of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, attacked the convoy of Buratai, who was on his way to pay homage to the emir of Zazzau and to attend the passing out parade of some new recruits in the state.

“The sect numbering hundreds carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres. They refused all entreaties to disperse and then started firing and pelting the convoy with dangerous objects. The barricade was obviously a deliberate attempt to assassinate the chief of army staff and members of his entourage while on a legitimate official assignment as special guest of honour at the passing out parade which has earlier been widely publicised,” Sani Usman, spokesman of the army, had said in a statement.

“The troops responsible for the safety and security of the chief of army staff on hearing  explosion and firing were left with no choice than to defend him and the convoy at all cost as well as open up the barricaded road for law abiding citizens. This is in line with the Nigerian army rules of engagement and code of conduct. This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated from any individual or groups and should not be allowed to repeat itself.”

But the sect denied making an attempt on the life of the chief of army staff, alleging that the army shot its unarmed members killing scores of them.