The Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has appealed for calm and peace following the clash between soldiers and an Islamic group in Zaria.
The clash between soldiers and members of the Shiite Muslim group left at least three persons dead on Saturday, December 12.
The Governor, in a statement he issued through his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, said that he had spoken on phone with the leader of the Islamic group, Sheik Ibraheem Zakzaky and later met with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Butatai at the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria over the unfortunate incident.
The Governor gave the assurance that the situation had been brought under control, while security has been beefed up in Zaria to forestall a further break down of law and order.
The Nigerian Army claimed that the Shiite sect’s attack on the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Tukur Buratai, led to the clash, as they considered it an attempt to assassinate the Army Chief.
Spokesman of the group, Ibrahim Usman, debunked the claim that the group attempted to attack the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, stating that the clash was only between his group and some overzealous soldiers who were on their way to the passing out parade of the Nigerian Army in Zaria.
He said that the incident occurred around the PZ area in city when a convoy of armed soldiers opened fire on the group while they were hoisting their sect’s flag to usher in the month of Rabi’ul Awal at Husdainiyyah Baqiyyatullah area of the city.
