POLICE, SHI’ITES CLASH IN SOKOTO, ONE FEARED DEAD, OTHERS WOUNDED

The residents who spoke with journalists said it was in the process of subduing the protesters by the police that, the clash occurred; causing pandemonium and many traders hurriedly shut down their businesses and fled for safety.

Penpushing further reports that, Sokoto State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Muhammed Sadiq, in a statement on Saturday, explained that the group came out to protest “with the intention to cause unrest, but they were subdued by the police.”

The police as at the time of filing this report kept mute on death and number of casualties, but said, ’preliminary investigation revealed that a group of people suspected to be members of the proscribed Shi’ite Group, came out along Old Airport road with intent of carrying out a procession’.

‘Upon confirmation of intention by security operatives, the gathering was immediately dispersed using minimal force, while the said suspected members got busy pelting stones on operatives and operational vehicles with intent to escalate the situation’.

‘However, the situation was seamlessly brought under control shortly after the situation came to fore by the Joint Operatives.The Sokoto State Police Command calls for calm as normalcy has since been restored and urge members of the public to go about their lawful businesses without any fear as the Command has emplaced adequate security arrangements to forestall any reoccurrence of such’.