The city of Kano was the scene of a bloody gun duel between the police and members of the Shiite religious group, the Islamic movement of Nigeria (IMN).
The incident, which occurred on the outskirts of Kano municipal area, claimed the life of a Police Sergeant and 20 members of the group on Monday morning.
According to Vanguard, scores of others, including women and children were injured during the mayhem that lasted about two hours.
However, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Yusuf put the official death figure at 9, including the police officer.
The bloody clash, which occurred at Tamburawa general area, on the outskirts of Kano city at 8:00am, was triggered by efforts of the police to restore order on the strategic Kano–Zaria federal highway following reports of breakdown of law.
Yusuf explained the police version of the story to journalists.
Thousands of Shiite members obstructed motorists and other road users’ free access to Kano-Kaduna expressway.
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.
Thereafter, a combined team of PMF, CTU, SARS and conventional police that were deployed to restore peace came under attack.
Shiite members, who were armed with bows and arrows, catapults with metal bolts and cutlasses, attacked the police team and killed a police sergeant, and critically injured others, Yusuf said.
However, Ali Dan’Ali, a survivor and member of the IMN, told Vanguard that at least 20 members of their group, including able-bodied men, women and children, were massacred by the police on their way to Zaria.
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”.
