Five Members Of Islamic Movement In Nigeria Detained After Clashing With Police - Reports

Five members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) were detained on Thursday after clashing with police officers outside the government building in Abuja, as IMN members continue protests demanding the release of their leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky, from jail, local media reported

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th July, 2019) Five members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) were detained on Thursday after clashing with police officers outside the government building in Abuja, as IMN members continue protests demanding the release of their leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky, from jail, local media reported.

On Tuesday, hundreds of IMN members broke into the parliament building, forcing lawmakers to suspend their work. The protesters also set cars on fire and damaged other property. Four policemen reportedly received firearm injuries while tackling the protests, one of whom later died. The police reportedly arrested at least 40 suspects in connection with the incident.

According to the Punch newspaper, the police used tear gas and fired into the air to disperse protesters. Despite the clashes with police and detentions, IMN members continued their demonstration.

The IMN has been staging regular rallies to demand the release of Zakzaky, who has been in prison for nearly four years. The group's leader was detained in 2015 during an army operation in the city of Zaria that left at least 348 people dead. Zakzaky has been seeking an Islamic revolution in Nigeria similar to the one that happened in Iran.