Shi’ites bury 8-month-old ‘killed by police’, vow not to obey govt

Shahida Abubakar, an 8-month old baby who was allegedly killed during clash between members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) and the police, has been buried.

At the burial of Abubakar, and other victims of the tragic incident, Sunusi Koki, the Shi’ia leader, who conducted the funeral, said though the rights of IMN members were being trampled upon, not even death will make them submit to the dictates of the Nigerian government.

He described those who were buried as martyrs, and challenged those alive to stand up for their rights.

“Every living being will eventually pass away, but the important pride is, at what cause did you pass away?” he was quoted to have said.

“Those whom we have laid here have indeed succeeded. They are victorious because they followed the very footsteps of Imam Husain (AS) who was massacred alongside his followers, for not surrendering himself to the dictate, wish and whims of Yazid Bin Mu’awuya.

“As followers of Shaikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, we shall never submit ourselves to the dictates of the Nigerian government even if our own lives will be taken away by the forces of its security agents.”

The names of those buried were listed as: Shahid Aliy Hasan Kura, Shahid Usman Sulaiman, Shahid Mubarak Hassan Kurna, Shahida Fatima A Umar Maiduguri, Shahid Aliy Haidar, Ahmad ISMA, and Shahid Ibrahim.

The group also alleged that security forces were plotting to attack its members in Katsina.

It said some persons had been hired to make the “Arbaeen” trek from Katsina to Zaria in Kaduna, violent in order to give IMN a bad name.

Araben is an annual procession carried out by the sect.

The group called on its members to be vigilant, and report suspicious movements.

“It has come to the notice of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) that security agents have been deploying some youths and miscreants in two luxurious buses tonight,” Ibrahim Musa, spokesman of IMN said in a statement.

“These young men are clad in black attire with ‘free Zakzaky’ inscriptions. They are particularly spotted around Malumfashi, Katsina state, probably in anticipation of the Arbaeen mourning trek scheduled to take off from there.

“It will appear that they will be used in some clandestine operations simulating the Arbaeen trek, either independently or by joining members of the IMN, who are scheduled to embark on the annual trek to Zaria soon.

“We wish to draw the attention of the general public to note that any suspicious activity that negates the very solemn, orderly or peaceful manner we have always conducted the Annual Arbaeen trek is by these security forces, and not the IMN.

“We also wish to call on members of the IMN to remain very vigilant throughout, and to note as well as expose any evil manoeuvres of these unscrupulous security operatives.

“Although these shady activities are noted along the Malumfashi axis of the trek, some of these agents might have been equally dispatched to the other axis as well, necessitating continued attentiveness, and to report such suspicious moves in the most appropriate ways as usual.”