At least 21 people have been reportedly killed in a clash that occurred between members of the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria and the police in Kano on Monday, November 14.

The casualty figure is said to have included 20 members of the group and a police sergeant whose identity is yet to be known. However, the police commissioner in the state, Rabiu Yusuf, put the figure at nine including the police officer.

But according to a report by Vanguard, a survivor, Ali Dan’Ali, said: “At least 20 members of our group that included able bodied men, women and children were martyr by the police on our way Zaria.”

According to the police, the Muslim group attacked cars and other properties as they marched along prompting the police to be deployed to the area.

A police source said members of the group killed a police officer
and injured three others, but the group said this was not true.

But Dan’ali said: “We came under attack by the police around Amana city, and several hundreds were injured in what appear a coordinated attempt to broke our procession and disrupted the historic trek.”

In commissioner Yusuf’s briefing, he said: “Thousands of Shi’ite members obstructed motorist and other road users free access to Kano-Kaduna express way.

The Shiites members in a procession “They also attacked innocent citizens, damaged public and personal property thereby causing mayhem that could lead to general disturbance of public peace in the state.

“A combined team of PMF, CTU, SARS and conventional police were deployed to restore peace came under attack. Shi’ite members who were armed with bow and arrow, catapult with metalbolts, cutlasses attacked the police team and killed a police sergeant, and critically injured others.”

The police commissioner further said the members of the group snatched an AK47 riffle from a policeman, adding that the police recovered an AK 47 riffle. He said normalcy had been restored, and therefore urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements to nearest police station.