The Nigeria Police Force and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria have disagreed on their accounts of the bloody Sunday clash in Abuja, leading to the deaths of policemen and Shi’ites.
The police, in a statement by the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said they arrested 97 Shi’ites over the Sunday violence wherein two policemen were killed and three others critically injured.
But the leader of the Shi’ite group, Prof. Isah-Hassan Mshelgaru, distanced his members from the death and destruction of police vehicles.
He added that the police were attempting to blame the deaths of their officers on the Shi’ite group to give them a bad name.
The Force spokesperson, Adejobi, in a statement on Monday noted that “the police condemn Shi’ite attack in Abuja, order operatives to hunt for sponsors, killers of policemen.”
He also disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered operatives to track down and arrest the sponsors and those responsible for the killing of the police personnel.
The police had last Sunday said Shi’ite members attacked its personnel during their procession, leading to the death of two police officers, while three were unconscious in the hospital.
But in a counter statement, the IMN also claimed that the police killed and injured several of their members during their procession in the Wuse area of the FCT.
The IG, in the statement, vowed that the police would hunt the killers, stating: “Those who murdered these policemen have murdered peace”.
He said, “The Nigeria Police Force has condemned, vehemently, an unprovoked attack by members of the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria, commonly known as the Shi’ite group, on police personnel in Abuja on August 25, 2024.
“In line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, the progressive efforts of police operatives have led to the arrest of 97 suspects and the recovery of several weapons used in the attack.
“The IGP has also reaffirmed the unalloyed zeal of the Force to arrest other involved persons and bring the killers to justice, emphasising his commitment to maintaining law and order and resisting all sorts of anarchy and unrest in any part of the country.
“The unprovoked killings of police officers in the line of duty are highly outrageous and unacceptable as those who murdered these policemen have murdered peace.”
Adejobi vowed that the police would uncover the extent of the attack to prevent a reoccurrence of the incident.
He said the IG condoled with the grieving families of the slain policemen and wished the injured officers a speedy recovery.
Adejobi said, “As investigations unfold, the Nigeria Police Force is determined to uncover the full extent of this attack and prevent future occurrences of such violence against police officers.
“The IGP offers heartfelt sympathies to the grieving families of the fallen police officers, mourning their loss alongside them and also wishes a speedy recovery to those currently undergoing treatment, hoping for their swift return to full health.”
He, however, said the police required the support of the citizens to maintain law and order.
But in a counter statement, the IMN leader, Mshelgaru, accused the police of attacking the Shi’ites in Abuja during their procession.
Mshelgaru noted that the procession was a global event celebrated not only in Nigeria, adding that in other states like Kano and Sokoto, and others, the event was peaceful.
“There was no clash with anyone, not even the security operatives in those states. We are not aware of the death of any police officers. If there was any, we are not responsible. We didn’t burn down any property.
“They are doing this to give us a bad name. If they want to arrest innocent people they can go ahead. This is not the first time they will be doing that. “
Mshelgaru also demanded the release of Shi’ite members in police custody, insisting that the group knew nothing about the death of the police officers.
He said, “We can’t say specifically the number of people arrested by the police. We are still counting. We will release our figures when we are done. We know for a fact that four of our members who were unconscious were arrested, we don’t know their fate. We are, however, demanding the release of our members in police custody; we are not responsible for the purported death of their officers.”