Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also knowns as the Shi’ites, on Monday, staged a peaceful protest at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) with a petition, seeking the investigation and prosecution of army officers responsible for the recent killing of scores of people at Tudun Biri Village in Kaduna State.
The protest, which started from the traffic before the Public Complain Commission (PCC), terminated at NHRC where the petition was delivered.
They called on the executive secretary of NHRC to pressurise the Federal Government to immediately investigate and prosecute the culprits, saying the claim by the Nigerian Army that the incident was a mistake is unacceptable as this is not the first of it kind.
Also in a statement issued shortly after the protest by Sheikh Sidi Munir Mainasara Sokoto, on behalf of the IMN under the leadership of His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky (H), condemned the act.
It reads: “Numerous national dailies report that the Nigerian Army has taken responsibility for the Tudun Biri massacre that left hundreds of innocent Citizens killed at Tudun Biri village in Kaduna State.
“The army said the attack was a mistake. It is in record that this type of massacre, referred to as a mistake, took place several times in this decade alone, especially in the north-east and northwest.
“To refer to this atrocity as a mistake is unacceptable. The Nigerian Army should be held responsible for this massacre.
“Nigerian security forces have repeatedly killed civilians in settlements, camps, villages, and cities. In 2014, a Nigerian military aircraft dropped a bomb on Daglun village in Borno State, killing 20 civilians.
“In 2015, more than 1,000 disciples of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky were massacred in Zaria by the Nigerian Army. In 2017, 76 people were killed by the Nigerian Air Force strike on a refugee camp in Rann Camp in Borno State. In 2022, 64 people were reportedly killed by the Nigerian military’s airstrike in Mutumji Community, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
“These are unacceptable and condemnable atrocities, and a deafening silence on these atrocities will result in the reoccurrence of another massacre.
“In view of the foregoing, the Islamic movement, under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky (H) demand that the perpetrators of this massacre should with immediate effect be identified and prosecuted for committing this great crime against humanity.”
