3 killed in Army-Shites clash
By Muhammed Onogwu
Three members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, otherwise known as Shites were killed Saturday in a clash with the military at the popular Zuba junction on the Abuja-Kaduna road in the Federal Capital Territory.
The dead ones were reportedly killed by the Nigerian Military’s bullets launch time in a crisis that the causes were unknown to eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident.
But the military in a statement from the Army Headquarters in Abuja said they acted to safeguard their armory from being attacked and looted by the group who blocked the road and waylaid the military convoy that was on its way to Kaduna.
The statement which was signed same day by the Commander Army Headquarters Garrison, Major General James Myam read in parts:
“Troops of Army Headquarters Garrison on official duty escorting ammunitions and missiles from Abuja to Army Central Ammunition Depot in Kaduna State were attacked by some members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) sect at Zuba bridge, of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at about 3.00pm on Saturday 27th October 2018.
“The sect who were supposedly in a procession, established an illegal road block denying motorists free passage. When the troops’ convoy attempted to clear the road block, they met stiff opposition from the sect. Members of the sect used various objects to barricade the road and also pelted the troops with stones and other dangerous items. They smashed both military and civilian vehicles’ windscreens and windows.
“They also attempted to overrun the escorts to cart away the ammunition and missiles the troops were escorting. This led to the troops opening fire to extricate themselves. Consequently, troops of 102 Guards Battalion in whose Area of Responsibility the incident occurred rushed to the convoy’s rescue.
“Unfortunately, during the encounter 3 members of the sect were killed while 2 soldiers sustained various degrees of injuries and are being treated at a military medical facility.
“Meanwhile, normalcy has been restored in the general area and members of the public especially those plying the Abuja – Zuba Road are requested to go about with their normal activities with the assurance from the Nigerian Army that no individual or persons would be allowed to disturb public peace and unprovoked attacks against military convoys.”
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