The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) holds the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government of Nigeria responsible for the bloody turnout of the protest by members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) to demand the release of their leader, Sheikh El-Zakzaky. We hold the Buhari-led regime responsible based on the failure of the regime to obey all court orders ordering the release of the detained Shiites’ leader and previous recorded cases of Police and army brutality including extra-judicial killings against the Shiites anytime they embarked on protests and religious processions.

While not endorsing violence as a legitimate form of protest, we however, believe that the violent form which the Shiites hitherto peaceful protest has started to assume chaotic nature is a logical consequence of repeated brutal experience at the hands of the police and army. We recall that this was the same way and manner Boko Haram emerged in 2009 into a deadly force as a result of similar mishandling and extra-judicial killings by forces of the Nigerian capitalist state. We warn the Buhari government not to open another front of terrorism, insecurity and instability for Nigeria through its clueless, heavy-handed and unnecessarily brutal handling of the Shiite issue.

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