Men of the Nigerian Police and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria clashed again on Friday in Abuja as the police tried to disperse them from the new procession.
It would be recalled that the IMN members have recently alleged that the police are trying to kill all their members during their planned religious procession.
During the procession, the police reportedly fired tear gas canisters and gunshots in the air, forcing the processing Shi’ites and other passers-by to disperse.
The Shi’ites planned to hold a procession on Saturday, in commemoration of their annual Arbaeen trek, sparking fears of another confrontation with security operatives
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by Abdullahi Musa on behalf of the Academic Forum of the Islamic movement, it noted that they had to shift the procession back to Friday following an intelligence-gathering that the Police had planned to attack them.
“This year Arabaeen symbolic trek here in Abuja had been scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, 19 October 2019.
“However, another evil plan, of which we were reliably informed, has made it a near impossibility, for the safety of the populace and public properties.”
