Molly Kilete, Abuja
For the third day running, Recalcitrant Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria(IMN), clashed with the Police, in a protest to demand the unconditional release of their leader Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
On Tuesday, the group invaded the National Assembly complex where they destroyed vehicles and injured police officer, on Wednesday, they carried their protest to the headquarters of the National Human Rights commission, while on Thursday, they massed at the federal secretariat to continue with their protest.
The protesters who assembled at the federal secretariat in the morning, sent shivers to spines to of workers and visitors in the area as the police released several gunshot into the air and fired canister of tear gas to disperse them.
Over fifty of the protesters were arrested by the police who succeeded in dispersing the protesters.
Workers, visitors and other road users had a hectic day assessing the road following the sounds of gunshot in the area. Petty traders and food vendors ran for their lives abandoning their wares.
No life was lost and nobody was injured during the protest says the FCT, police command public relations officer, Anjugurl Manzah, in a telephone interview with Daily Sun. He said the “police did not give them the room to carry out their usual attack of destroying people’s vehicles and injuring innocent persons”
Manzah, said “over fifty protesters were arrested while 38, out of the 40, suspects arrested over Tuesday protest were arraigned in court.
He said that some of the suspects were granted bail with conditions while ten others while remanded in prison custody till July, 18.
He further stated that the fifty persons arrested in Thursday protest would be arraigned in court after screening.