Ibrahim Musa, the spokesman of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, has put blame on the Nigerian army for the crisis between members of the Shi’ite sect and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna state.

Speaking on Channels TV programme Sunrise Daily, Musa revealed what really happened on Saturday, December 12, between Shi’ites and soldiers, which initially led to the killing of seven people.

According to the spokesman, members of the sect felt uncomfortable with the presence of soldiers on the day when they were having their procession. He also recalled that in 2014 the army opened fire on them in a similar situation.

“Last year the soldiers opened fire on the Muslim brothers while they were doing a Quds Day rally. So with this in mind the brothers told them that it is not proper for them to be stationed just opposite the Hosenia and they asked them to move back.

“When the soldiers who were many in number, decided to move back, then the brothers started thinking that they had gone to bring more reinforcement; that was when the crisis started.

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“It was then that the Army Chief’s convoy came and the brothers were not comfortable with what might transpire. After some negotiation with both sides, they then started opening fire and killed seven people on the spot and they got passage after dispersing the brothers.

“What surprised us is when the Army Chief had passed, why should they come back and lay siege on the Hosenia? They also went to the residence of our leader, Sheik Ibrahim Zak-Kaky and this confrontation went on right from 1pm on that beautiful Saturday down till Sunday morning,” he said.

Speaking further, Musa denied the allegation that the sect members were armed during the clash and stressed that their group had been known as one of the most peaceful religious bodies in the country.

“Our Muslim brothers, right from our history in the movement for the past 40 years, it is known that we have never taken any arms, we have never attacked anybody. We are only trying to make people understand the true teachings of the Prophet Mohammed.

“We don’t carry arms and even the soldiers confessed that they didn’t see any gun or something of that nature. They only saw catapult and other local tools like machetes,” he said.

READ ALSO: Zaria Massacre: Second Horrible Picture Of Sheikh Zakzaky Emerges (PHOTO)

Admitting the fact that members of the sect had machetes , Musa noted that “machete is not a weapon”.

“We have never made any petrol bombs but machetes. Who hasn’t any machetes in his house? Machete is just what you use in cutting something that is strong. So I see no reason why machete should be termed as a weapon, machete is not a weapon.

“How can you compare a gun and a machete? It’s just ridiculous, it’s not possible, we haven’t ever used any petrol bomb throughout our 40 years in this movement, and we have never carried arms.

“So they are just trying to make it up that we are the ones who attacked them and it’s ridiculous to say we tried to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff,” he said.

Watch the full interview below:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao-cR7-Pgg4&ebc=ANyPxKrLd_R5QM1Rlg9EQLelC08gXjAVH7FEFkbVMdxO28kfmLqglD47g5pdICkmhVucgKYPoAATWTm7uLOW74GNpausGfM-vg

Revealing!