Deadly clashes between Nigeria army, Shi'ite Muslim protesters

Bloody clashes between Nigeria’s security forces and Shi’ite Muslim protesters were witnessed on Monday afternoon in the capital Abuja.

Hundreds of members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) took part in the march for the release of Ibrahim Zakzaky, jailed since December 2015 when security forces killed hundreds of members in a crackdown on the group, estimated to have 3 million followers.

Some victims were lying on the ground on a road in the area of Kugbo on Abuja’s outskirts, the witness said, adding that some had thrown stones at the military before the shooting began. The condition of those on the ground was not immediately clear.

An army spokesman did not immediately respond to phone calls seeking comment.

In April, police fired bullets and tear gas canisters during days of protests by IMN, wounding at least four.

The violent repression of IMN and the detention of its leader have drawn accusations that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is abusing human rights. The group says Zakzaky must be freed after a court ruled his detention without charge illegal.

The crackdown has sparked fears that IMN could become radicalised, in much the same way that the Sunni Muslim militant group Boko Haram turned into a violent insurgency in 2009 after police killed its leader.