Police arrest 97 Shi’ites over ‘killing of officers’ in FCT

The police command in Abuja has arrested over 97 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise referred to as Shi’ites, over the killing of its officers.

On August 25, members of the Islamic sect clashed with the police at the Wuse area of the federal capital territory (FCT) during the Arba’een symbolic trek. 

A brawl ensued between members of the group and the police, leading to the death of two officers. 

Speaking on the incident on Wednesday, Bennett Igweh, FCT commissioner of police, said the police paraded 94 members of the group following the attack.

He said the Shi’ites attacked the police officers with cutlasses, petrol bombs and guns, and that three police patrol vehicles were burnt.

The commissioner identified the officers killed as Innocent Agabi, an assistant superintendent of police, and Alex Odeh, an inspector.

“They killed two policemen and wounded four, including a woman police officer who is in the hospital. We recovered from them cutlasses that had blood stains which they used in killing the policemen,” he said.

“They shot at the policemen, they used petrol bombs, they used cutlasses. If you see their dead bodies, how they were massacred, you will be shocked.”

The commissioner claimed that the police did not kill members of the sect, adding that pictures of dead bodies circulated by the group were not real.

“They will dress mannequins; this is the head, they will dress it up and make it look like a human being so that they will send them money and they will continue to send them money,” he said.

“This one is what they do and you can see blood stains. They will cover it and send it to their sponsors overseas and tell them that the Nigeria Police and the government have killed one of them.”