#ZariaMassacre: An Unforgettable Pogrom In History

By Aliyu Suleiman 

Monday 12th December, 2016, marked a complete year since after the ever worst genocidal attack of Nigerian government against the minority, armless and defenceless Shiites of this country also known as “Islamic Movement” under the leadership of His eminence Sheikh Zakzaky(H), the ever peace lover and humanitarian person in history.

The Nigerian government did it best in order to temper the peace of the country by killing the most patriotic citizens(members of IMN) thinking that they will pick weapons for retaliation. They planned to wipe out the members of the movement totally despite the fact that they are law abidings. They planned to conduct this genocide during the yearly ArbaeenTrekNigeria using a collaboration of all uniformed men armed to the teeth to attack the IMN members all over the axis of the trekking.

They mercilessly attack the trekkers in Kano axis using bomb which result to the death of 24 IMN members, majority of then are children, females and aged ones which is totally against the country’s rules of law. When they realizes that, they did not kill even 1% of the IMN members during the ArbaeenTrekNigeria they start planning how they will attack the Leader of IMN where they start by tempering the peace of one village in Zaria called ”Gabari” claiming that IMN members are the perpetrators of the crime. This plan also went in vain.

Then they set to attack the next National program organized by the Movement which is “Mauludn Nabiyyi(S)”. On that faithful day of the Maulud, the uniformed armed men peace arrived at the venue of the program early armed to the teeth, they open fire which result to the death of some IMN members and take away the dead bodies(corpses).

After taking the corpses, they re-empowered their power by sending more trucks of the armed forces to where they start the oppression claiming that “they want to pass”. In some few minutes, they were allowed to pass peacefully. They went to their targeted destination successfully and unfortunately they come back to the venue of the program known as “Husainiyya Baqiyyatullah” with sophisticated weapons as if they were going to international war. They made one NNPC station opposite “Husainiyyah” as their camp.

The commanders of the oppression divide them to many parts of the Husainiyya for they are about yo start what they were sent to do by the hunting dogs of America, Israel and Saudi America. Few minutes pass twelve in the noon, they open fire to the IMN members that arrived early to the program as if they were in a war with armed opponents.

They were killing everyone irrespective of females, children and old ones. They were just shooting them with poisonous live bullets, throwing bombs on them. They were destroying the walls of the Husainiyyah on the body of Nigerian citizens. At this particular time, they killed 100+ civilians without a single genuine reason.

Those attacked (IMN members) have no weapons; instead they were just seeking for Allah’s help. When they realize that time is going without fulfilling their mission, they move directly to Sheikh Zakzaky’s house to finish the mission of their Father Gods which is eliminating the Sheikh. Going to the house, they opened fire better than the one they did at “Husainiyyah” resulting to the death of more than thousand(1000+) defenceless and armless patriotic citizens.

Almost 1000 are reported to have sustained various degrees of injuries. Some of those injured are up to date receiving treatments in different hospitals. They also move to the martyrs grave yard (where the martyrs of IMN are buried) known as “Darur Rahma cemetery” and killed who ever is there including some animals that are rearing there. They also scattered some of the graves claiming that weapons are inside. Likewise, they did to the grave of Sayyada Salaha, the mother of Sheikh Zakzaky(H). After they did all these, they instructed their paid thugs to search every nook and cranny looking for any IMN member and killed or wound him/her.

It is after this atrocities Kaduna state government in collaboration with KASUPDA destroyed all buildings belonging to the movement including Sheikh Zakzaky’s house and the biggest Shi’ites center in Africa known as “Husainiyyah Baqiyyatullah”. After this merciless massacre of 1000+ civilians, hundreds of them were taken to the Soldiers barrack including females. Some of the females taken to the barrack were raped to death and some were tortured to death.

The soldiers also put knives and its examples into the private part of the females twisting it until they die. And some were detained up to date without a single genuine legal reason. Among those detained Sheikh Zakzaky(H) and his wife Malama Zeenatuddeen Ibrahim Zakzaky(H). Also, among those killed another 3 biological sons of Sheikh Zakzaky(H) and his younger Sister who is burnt alive to death. On this faithful day, Zaria serves as abattoir where 1000+ of citizens were slaughtered, burnt alive, tortured, mass graved etc.

The people that make this kind of genocide are those expected to protect the citizens. Since after this heart touching genocide, many activities where carried out to ensure justice is done but yet justice is no where to be found. People of conscience and intelligence are always chanting, supporting and demanding for justice to the ever peace lover in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky(H).

All the rights of the IMN members and their leader were intentionally deprived, even right to protest. We called upon the people of conscience where ever they are to support the oppressed ones and to opposed the oppressors as stated in every religion and also in humanity. Support the oppressed ones today for you don’t known your faith tomorrow. Really, a person who knows nothing apart from selfish and lacks humanity can not make justice at whole his life.

Despite the fact he has brain but surely it is of no important. Because he can’t use it to differentiate between right and wrong. It is known to every person who knows IMN that the movement is a movement that never support oppressions and will never ever support it. It is as a result of this Nigerian government is always trying to eliminate the movement and its leader Sheikh Zakzaky in particular. Nigerian government is ruling its followers with injustice and inhumanity which is known to the whole world. Its laws and orders are obeyed by the followers but not obeyed by the government. And this is what IMN Leader is trying to eradicate in the country so that all people will live in an interesting manner.

The following are the number of the victims of the heart-touching genocidal attack:

■Almost 1000+ were killed or missing.
■887 Families so far affected.
■Not less than 472 Widows.
■1937 Orphans.
■100+ Orphans born to Widows since the Massacre.
■191 in prison custody.
■62 of those in prison are students.
■Over 300 Hospitalised with various degree of injuries, others life threatening, up till now.

■2 died in prison due to lack of medical attention.

■347 that included women and children in a single mass grave in Mando , outskirts of Kaduna (According to Kaduna state Governor Nasir Elrufai).

In conclusion, we demand the urgent release of our leader Ayatullah Zakzaky unconditionally, his wife and other detained IMN members. We also want our destroyed assets to be fully compensated.

Aliyu Sulaiman Writes From Zaria Kaduna State