Zaria Miracle: Buried in ruble, rescued days after

In the midst of the gloomy season in Zaria, Kaduna state, something miraculous has been recorded, the state government has announced.

According to a statement issued by Samuel Aruwan, the governor’s spokesman, on Friday, three persons had been rescued as the government tried to clear the debris of demolished houses.

Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) and soldiers had clashed on December 12, leading to hundreds of deaths and the demolition of the houses of suspected members of the group, who are also known as Shi’ites.

“Public health considerations also informed the exercise to clear the debris. During operations to remove debris at the Husainiyah, two persons were rescued alive after spending three days under the rubble. One person was pulled out alive from the Gyellesu site,” Aruwan said, adding that three corpses were recovered at Dambo village.

“Following the clashes between the Nigerian Army and Sheikh El-Zakzaky’s movement, it became clear that a number of buildings and other property had been damaged. The debris at the Husainiyah, in Gyellesu, and other locations constituted a danger to public safety.

“Therefore, the relevant agencies are evacuating the debris, removing dangerous materials such as twisted metal and glass shards. Some of the structures that were damaged at the sites of the clashes were deemed to be structurally unsound, and were also subsequently removed.

“Residents were advised to inform the authorities if they come across any item that looks unusual or suspicious or appears to be dangerous to themselves or their children.”