About 21 people have lost their lives at a Shia Muslim procession in northern Nigeria. This happened when a suicide bomber detonated some fixed bombs wrapped around his waist inn the village of Dakasoye, some 13 miles south of Kano during a march by followers of the Shia Islamic group of Nigeria.
One of the group leaders, Muhammad Turi, who was in charge of a group of thousands of people from Kano to Zaria, described what happen this way:
“Our group came under attack and we lost 21 members with several others injured.” A reporter from the scene confirmed that the road was stained with the blood of the slain ones even as the worshipers continued their march undeterred.
Their leader was quoted as saying that “They were not surprised being attacked because this is the situation all over the country.
“He stated further that ” even if all of them were bombed, the last person will carry on this duty of their religious observance.
A man who spoke anonymously said that the bomber ran into the crowd and blew himself up. He was dressed in black like everyone else. His accomplice who were arrested confessed that they were sent by Boko Haram.
“They were part of the young men abducted by Boko Haram in Mubi last year and taken to Sambisa forest where they were given some military training. They were sent to Kano 11 days ago and kept in a house specifically for this attack.” the man said.
The bomber who blew himself up did that when he realized that his members has been nabbed. The ill fated worshipers were on a trek to Zaria where the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, is based to mark the 40th day of Ashura.
The march which is to take them till December 3rd, will coincide with a gathering of pilgrims at Hussein’s tomb in the Iraqi city of Karbala.
The radical sect, Boko Haram who want to create a hard-line Islamic state in north-east Nigeria sees Shias as heretics who are not worthy to live.
Similar incident happened last year in November when 15 persons were killed after a suicide bomber targeted Shia festival of Ahura in Yobe state, when they gathered to mark the death of Hussein.
Boko Haram has killed at least 17,000 people with many others maimed and more than 2.6 million left homeless.
The deadline given by the president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari which expires next month is seriously being questioned even by some senior military figures in the country, arguing that the bombings may persist considering the wave of bombings in the regions which has kept on increasing despite all the warnings being issued by the President.
Leave a Reply