#KadunaProvocation: Nigerian Military Spin Claims Muslims Tried To Disarm Soldiers

  • The army claimed dangerous weapons were used, but deliberately failed to mention importantly what type of weapons thee were.

In a bid to cover up the crime committed by the Nigerian Soldiers on peaceful Quds Day Procession in Zaria in which the soldiers, under Lt Col. S.O. Okuh, killed over 35 people, the Depot HQ of Nigerian Army sent a memo to the Nigerian Army HQ DIV1, on the Quds day crime, with a copy sent to the office of Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

The memo signed by Brig Gen BA FIBOIUMAMA with Special SITREP No 04/14 and with title ‘Religious Disturbace’ states that :

” at about 251545A July 14   A ZARIA BASED ISLAMIC CLERIC AND LDR OF SHITE SHEIK EL ZAKZAKI AND HIS FOLLOWERS UNLAWFULLY ENGAGED IN AN ACT OF CIVIL DISTURBANCE WHILE PROTESTIING ONGOING CONFLICT BETW STATE OF ISRAEL AND PALESTINE. THE SECT MEMBERS ARMED WITH DANGEROUS WPNS ATTK INNOCENT CIVS INCL SLDRS OF 11 FER. SECT MEMBER ALSO ATTEMPTED TO DISARM SOME OF THE SLDRS. TPS ON GRD RESPONDED IN SELF DEF AND ENGAGED THEM IN EXCHANGE OF GUN FIRE. REINFORCEMENT SENT BY DEPOT NA IMM. SIT.  ENFORCE. KIA 10. WIA 2. PW13. 1 X AMB CAPTURED. OWN FORCE KIA NIL. WIA. NIL. OWN EQPT CAS. NIL OWN TPS STILL DOMINATING THE AREA. SIT UNDER CONTROL. PROGRESS RPT TO FOL ASP. TPS MORALE AND ALERTNESS REMAIN HIGH. PLS ACK////

1. From the above memo one can deduce that Depot HQ covered up the crime committed by the Nigerian Soldiers in Zaria where they attacked and killed over 33 people during Quds Day Procession- a processon which has been taken place in Zaria and other cities for 32 consecutive years peacefully.

2.  The Army Depot accused whom they called ‘Shiites’ of civil disturbance- an accusation which is baseless for abvious reasons.

3. The worse is the accusation that the ‘shiites’ were carrying dangerous weapons and attacked civilians and even soldiers; they attempted to disarm some of the soldiers and the soldiers responded in self defence by  engaging them in exchange of gunfire!!!!. This type of allegatioin is the most unfortunate from the Nigerian army. We think setting up an independent body to investigate the matter would be the best option.

What is clear is that  Crime Against Humanity and Extra Judicial Killings by the Nigerian Soldiers is even recently labelled against Nigerian Army by Amnesty International.

IM