Police arrest 400 Shiite protesters in Abuja

Police in Federal Capital Territory said 400 members of Islamic
Movement of Nigeria, IMN, also known as Shi’ites, had been arrested
in connection with Tuesday’s violent protest in the territory.

Commissioner of Police in the area, Bala Ciroma, stated this
when he presented the suspects to the media at the command’s
headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that the suspects had been detained for discreet
investigation, adding that dangerous weapons were also recovered
from them.

He said that the police recovered 31 bottles of petrol bombs and
other dangerous weapons brought in the territory by the
suspects.

Mr Ciroma said that among the suspects was their “First Aider”,
one Salahuddeen Ahmad, male, 23, who hails from Illela Local
Government of Sokoto State.

He said that all the suspects would be arraigned upon conclusion
of investigation.

The commissioner said that arrest of the sect members was part
of the continuous efforts of the command to provide residents of
the territory with adequate security, protect lives and property
and prevent breakdown of law and order.

He stated that the command intercepted and arrested some members
of “the EL-Zakzakky Islamic Movement of Nigeria with 31 bottles of
petrol bomb and other dangerous weapons being ferried into FCT by
their members.

“It is for the purpose of causing mayhem and attack on innocent
citizens, including law enforcement agents deployed to protect
lives and property.”

According to him, members of the group without provocation of
any sort went on rampage during a protest and burnt down a police
vehicle.

He said that the incident occurred on Tuesday and that the sect
burnt a Police Rapid Response Squad, RRS, patrol vehicle deployed
at Ademola Adetokumbo Crescent.

Mr Ciroma explained that at 12.30 p.m., operatives on
stop-and-search duty along Tipper Garage area, intercepted and
arrested one Mustapha Abdullahi, male, 20, of Ungwan Gwari, Suleja,
with 18 bottles of petrol bombs concealed in a traveling bag.

“To smuggle himself and the patrol bombs into the city, he
disguised as a passenger and boarded a taxi with other unsuspecting
passengers,” he said.

He said that Abdullahi ran out of luck when vigilant policemen
on duty at the point “upon reasonable suspicion’’ intercepted the
cab and conducted a search on the only bag in the car and found the
improvised bombs.

He said that the suspect was immediately arrested, adding that
he would be arraigned at the end of investigation.

The commissioner added that one Abdullahi Umar, 22, was also
nabbed with a bag containing 13 well packaged bottles of petrol
bomb.

“During investigation, the suspect confessed that he arrived
Suleja from Sokoto State on Sunday to join other members of their
sect for protest.

“He also confessed that he was ferrying the patrol bomb to FCT
to confront law enforcement agents,” he said.

Mr Ciroma said that one lighter was also recovered from the
suspect, adding that he would also be arraigned soon.

Speaking to newsmen, one of the suspects, Mustapha Abdullahi,
said that the bottles contained petrol.

According to him, at the time of my arrest, I didn’t do anything
with the bottles of petrol.

“I came to Abuja to use it to break stone but today something
happened in Abuja and they blocked me on the road and arrested me,”
he said.

Mr Abdullahi admitted that the police recovered 18 bottles of
the petrol bombs from him, saying “I am a member of the Shi’ite,”
he said.

Another suspect, Abdullahi Umar, said “I don’t have any mission,
I just wanted to defend myself with it.

“On Saturday at Zuba, soldiers came and started shooting us, we
didn’t do anything to them.”

While explaining their activities, Umar said “if they start
shooting us, I will just put it on the grass then I will put fire
on the grass so that our brothers will get way to escape.

“I came into Abuja from Sokoto.”

NAN