Home NEWS Police Arrest 52 Shiite Members For Embarking On Rampage In Abuja

Police Arrest 52 Shiite Members For Embarking On Rampage In Abuja

File Photo: Shia Muslims march through the streets of the northern Nigerian city of Kano
File Photo: Shia Muslims march through the streets of the northern Nigerian city of Kano

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has announced the arrest of 52 members of the El-Zakzaky Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), known as Shiite, for embarking on what the Command described as rampage in Abuja.

The Police alleged, in a statement, that the rampaging sect members attacked innocent citizens, including Police operatives today, Wednesday, January 10, adding that the Command recovered some bottles of improvised petrol-bomb, stones and catapult used by them to attack police operatives and damage police operational vehicles.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer for the FCT Police Command, DSP Anjuguri Manzah said that the unlawful action of members of the sect which started on Monday 8th January, constituted a serious security threat to the peace of the Federal Capital Territory and at the same time disrupted innocent citizens from going about their lawful businesses.

The statement said that in view of the current security situation in the Country, “the Command wishes to unequivocally state that while it will continue to be professional in the discharge of its constitutional and statutory roles of the protection of lives and property of the good people of FCT; and equally recognize the rights of citizens to express their lawful grievances, the Command will not fold its arms and watch some persons hold the capital city to ransom by disrupting government and legitimate business activities.

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“In view of the foregoing, the Command wants to state that any person or group of persons arrested for violating the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution while registering their protest will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the appropriate section(s) of the law.”

The Command said that the 52 suspects that were arrested will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.