At least one person was reportedly killed while eight others sustained gunshots wounds during a clash between members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and police in Abuja.

The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon at the crossroads of Maitama District during a protest staged by the IMN members, Peoples Gazette learnt.

The Gazette gathered that security operatives of the Nigeria police force disrupted the Shiites protest against the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat Zakzaky.

Aggrieved marchers were dispersed with live bullets and canisters of tear gas shortly after they converged at the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) office around 12:30 p.m in the highly developed city centre area, witnesses told the Gazette.

The protesters alleged that the security operatives maimed numerous protesters and arrested many with critical gun shots wounds during the protest.

Speaking to Gazette in a telephone interview, Aliyu Musa, an official of the Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement, disclosed that many of their members arrested by the police with critical gunshots wounds were taken to the newly formed police unit, SWAT detention.

“They shot many tear-gas canisters indiscriminately, dousing their victims with gas before bullets started flying all around and one protester was killed,” Mr. Musa said. “During the attack, eight of our members sustained different gunshots injuries.” 

The IMN noted that they want the government to obey the recent court order and released their leader and his wife from prison yard.

“Zakzaky wife had tested positive for coronavirus and the prison yard is contaminated. We want the federal government to obey court order, because we don’t want our leader to contract the virus,” Mr. Musa said.

The Shiites had alleged that their embattled leader’s wife, Zeenat had contracted COVID-19 while in detention in Kaduna prison according to two tests conducted.

The Correctional Service debunked the information in a statement issued by it spokesperson last week.

IMN members have been staging protests across the 19 Northern states including the Federal Capital Territory against the continued detention of their leader Mr. El-Zakzaky.

Mr. El-Zakzaky and his wife have been in detention since 2015 after the military clamp down on the IMN members in Zaria killing over 300 Shiites.

FCT police command spokeswoman, Mariam Yusuf did not return multiples calls and messages from our reporter when contacted for comment.