Shiites Claim Soldiers Planned To Plant Weapons In Luggage

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) claims soldiers at a checkpoint in Potiskum, Yobe State, had attempted to plant weapons in the luggage of members of the sect to blackmail them.  

A statement by the group on Friday said soldiers mounted the checkpoint, “probably to stop members of the IMN from leaving the town to join others in this year’s annual Arbaeen trek to Zaria”, mourning the martyrdom of imam Husain.

The annual Arbaeen is scheduled to commence from Kano this week.

“The soldiers detained a trailer carrying the personal belongings of those going to Kano for the trek today.

“Apparently, the soldiers have some sinister motives as they were overheard scheming to plant weapons in the luggage and thereafter claim that these bags with the weapons belong to members of the IMN,” the statement by the spokesman for the outlawed group, Ibrahm Musa, read.

Mr Musa further claimed that throughout the nearly four decades of the existence of the IMN, it had never stockpiled, carried or used weapons.

“It never had any cause to, even in the face of provocation.

“The IMN therefore wishes to alert the general public over this evil plot, and categorically reject and disown any attempt by the security services to plant any fake evidence against members of the Islamic Movement (IMN),” he added.

The claim by the Shiites is coming after police said they intercepted a truck in Kano carrying weapons and supplies allegedly belonging to members of the outlawed Islamic Movement in Nigeria popularly known as Shiites.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, the spokesman for the Kano State Police Command, Mr Magaji Majia, said that the truck was coming from Potiskum in Yobe State and was said to be going to Zaria where the Shiites were marking the Arbaeen ritual of the killing of Imam Hussain.

“You can see the weapons made up of cutlasses catapult, generators and other supplies and the truck full of clothes and flags of the movement.”

According to Majia, the weapons are illegal and capable of killing its target on the spot.

“You can remember few days ago, members of this movement attacked and killed one police officer and injuring three others during their illegal procession. Since then, we embarked on investigation, including stop and search, to see if it is true they are carrying dangerous weapons, the results of such investigation led us to this discovery,” he told reporters.