Molly Kilete, Abuja
For the second day running, the Nigerian military, the police and Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) members otherwise known as Shi’ite, clashed in Abuja, yesterday.
There was a gun duel and the air was thick with teargas, even as soldiers and police made arrests.
This is coming barely 24-hour after a violent encounter between the group and the police, which claimed the life of a police chief, a reporter with Channels Television and 11 members of the group.
Although no casualty had been recorded as of the time of filing this report, the IMN protesters who were dispersed by the police had started regrouping around Wuse zone 2.
The police were said to have gone after some of the protesters who sought cover at the Bannex Plaza in the nation’s capital.
Security operatives are still looking for the members of the group who are hiding in different shops in the area.
The members of Shi’ite are protesting the continued detention of its leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky, despite a court ruling that he be released.
Following yesterday’s face-off, there was palpable tension in Abuja.
Many residents, especially those who do business or work around the federal secretariat stayed away from their places of work or business.
A text message which has been circulating since Monday night asking people to be wary about their movement had also heightened the tension.
The text message read: “There will be massive raid on residents of FCT by police and other security agents. This is due to the aftermath of the Shi’ite and police clash today (yesterday).”
But in a swift reaction, Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, called on residents to dispel the rumour.
“We will not do anything to make the citizens suffer twice. They are already being chocked by the illegal, unlawful, violent and irresponsible activities of some other group and we will not serve them double portion of inconveniences.
“We are together with the people; we are together with the citizens. We will work with the citizens and for the citizens. If we must carry out any operation, it must be an operation that is purposeful, intelligent driven, and target oriented.
“We will not and I repeat, we will not embark on indiscriminate operations that will unnecessarily put our citizens in jeopardy or put them under unwarranted inconveniences,” Mba said in an SMS message to Daily Sun.
Meanwhile the remains of late Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Usman Musa, was buried yesterday according to Islamic rites.