Shi'ite protesters clash with Nigerian military, police in Abuja

Nigerian police reported intense gunfire on Saturday. This occurred a day earlier in Abuja. The clashes involved security forces and Shi'ite Muslim protesters. Several deaths have been reported.

Nigeria has a history of violent confrontations with the banned Shi'ite Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN). This group seeks to establish an Islamic state peacefully in Nigeria.

On Friday, many IMN members marched in support of Palestine. Violence erupted when they clashed with soldiers and police.

Critics argue that Nigerian security forces often use excessive force. They claim this includes live ammunition during protests, which may radicalize groups like IMN.

In a statement, police accused protesters of violently assaulting security personnel. They claimed the attackers were armed with firearms in Abuja's Wuse 2 neighborhood.

"Police faced intense gunfire from the attackers," said Josephine Adeh, police spokesperson for Abuja. Three security operatives were seriously injured during the incident.

One member of the security forces died, and 19 suspects were arrested. Videos on social media showed protesters throwing stones at an army vehicle amid gunfire.

Sidi Munir Sokoto, a senior IMN member, blamed the military for the violence. He stated that the protest was peaceful and reported five deaths.

"This was caused by the military," Sokoto said. He called for military leadership to explain their actions.

An army spokesperson did not respond to requests for comments.

Isa Sanusi, head of Amnesty International Nigeria, demanded an impartial investigation. He stated that "the army used live ammunition on protesters." Sanusi also noted that they seem intent on killing IMN protesters and confirmed five deaths as well.