There is chaos at the main gate of the National Assembly in Abuja as members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria popularly known as Shiites forcefully opened the gate of the complex and chased away armed policemen on duty.
Igbere TV correspondent at the National Assembly reports that the protesters stormed the gate of the complex on Wednesday to intensify call for the release of their leader, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakyzaky.
Igbere TV recalls that the movement embarked on a mass protest on Tuesday to mark his 68th birthday anniversary, and warned the Nigerian government not to push them to the wall.
The group had threatened to force the gate open if the National Assembly leadership fail to attend to them.
The protest which has been peaceful turned violent when some protesters suddenly descended on the gate shaking it and later forced it opened causing near stampede because of the large crowd.
Upon gaining entry into the complex, Igbere TV correspondent reports that the angry Shiites supporters started shouting ‘Alahu Akbar, Alahu Akbar’, while the policemen attached to the gate tactically took to their heels.
When the mob was advancing toward the second gate which lead to the chambers the leaders quickly appealed to them not to proceed further. At this point the policemen who have fled also joined to make entreaties to calm the fray nerves of the mob.
As at time of this report, normalcy has returned and the protesters have moved out and continued with their protest outside the gate.
More to come…
