The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (Shiites) and followers of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky have accused the United States of America (USA) of masterminding the mass killings of their members in Zaria.
The group made their position known on Thursday in Abuja, through Abdullahi Mohammad Musa, the Secretary of the Academic Forum of the movement, at a peaceful protest at the US Embassy.
The protesters stormed the premises of the Embassy, carrying placards and chanting songs with negative messages to express their anger.
Musa accused the US of deceiving the world that they are human rights defenders, but “use it as camouflage to perpetrate their ulterior motives and atrocities”.
He bemoaned the role allegedly played by the US during the Zaria massacre, where “more than 1,000 members of the group were killed, while many others sustained injuries”.
He said: “There was the mass burial of more than 1,000 persons. Some of them were even alive. They were saying ‘I am alive, I am alive,’ but Nasir el-Rufai, under the order of the American Ambassador to Nigeria, ordered the Nigerian Army thugs to bury these people in a mass grave.
“Zaria Massacre is the greatest atrocity committed in Africa against human rights. America is pretending and deceiving the whole world that they are protecting human rights in the whole world. You are deceiving yourselves. It is clear now that you are the sponsor, the planner and executor of Zaria massacre and all the killings of innocent citizens in Nigeria. America is totally behind it.
“I want to remind you about Mr. el-Rufai’s intolerance and threatening words to his political opponents and his recent ‘body bag’ threat to foreign observers. As a result of Mr. el-Rufai’s hate speeches and role in Zaria massacre, numerous legal luminaries in Nigeria and abroad have tagged him for prosecution and sanctions.”
He said the group would not relent in demanding justice and the unconditional release of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.
The protesters marched to the embassy, which was manned by stern-looking, armed mobile policemen, and dared the security operatives to pull the trigger.
