Abuja Shiites Uprising: Nobody Died, 57 Arrested, Says FCT Police Command

By Bello Usman

Contrary to the story in some social media reporting the death of some persons on Tuesday in Abuja during demonstration by an Islamic group, authorities of the FCT Police Command said there was no recorded incident of death, but that 57 persons have been arrested in connection with the disturbances.

The Command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh; a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in a statement on Tuesday said that “the FCT Police Command in a joint operation with other security agencies have restored normalcy to the Gwarinpa area of the FCT and other parts of the Capital where miscreants identified to be members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites, caused unnecessary hardship to motorists and other road users as well as individuals going about their lawful businesses.”

“The miscreants who were found in their numbers were promptly intercepted by the security operatives and dispersed to prevent them from causing further disruption of public order and peace and damage to public and private assets. The miscreants attacked the security forces with petrol bombs, weapons including stones but were adequately rounded up by the security teams without any casualty.

“A total of fifty-seven (57) suspects including thirty-nine male (39) and eighteen female (18) were arrested and currently being profiled at the State Criminal Investigations Department of the FCT Police Command. A golf vehicle, flags, petrol bombs, weapons, mobile phones, charms , were recovered as exhibits .

The Command has subsequently called on residents of FCT to be calm and warned that “any individual or group who may want to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the Capital

Territory should desist or be ready to face the full wrath of the law . Residents and commuters have also been advised to go about their lawful business without any fear or apprehension