Iranian Speaker Calls on Nigeria to Probe into Massacre of Shiites
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani condemned the recent killing of dozens of Shiite Muslims by the Nigerian army and called on the African country to launch an investigation into the tragic incident.
In a message to Nigeria’s Speaker of the House of Representatives Dogara Yakubu on Tuesday, Larijani denounced the Nigerian army’s Sunday attacks on Shiites and urged the country to immediately address the issue to prevent “recurrence of fratricide and division among Muslims”.
He further emphasized that the painful incident was a calculated plot aimed at sowing discord among Islamic schools of thought, which will have no outcome other than serving the interests of the Zionist regime of Israel.
The Iranian parliament speaker also called for the immediate release of the leader of Nigeria’s Islamic Movement, Ibrahim Zakzaky.
According to reports, at least 60 people were killed this past weekend when the Nigerian army raided the Islamic Movement headquarters and arrested its leader in the northern city of Zaria.
The army raided several buildings connected to the Islamic Movement and the home of Zakzaky on Sunday. They arrested him and killed key members of the group, including Zakzaky's second-in-command and spokesman.
Aliy, Zakzaky’s son, was among dozens killed during the raid.
Three of Mr. Zakzaky’s sons had been killed in a similar attack by the Nigerian Army in July 2014.
The Islamic Movement insists its members did not attack the convoy of the Chief of Army staff, Tukur Buratai, as alleged by the Nigerian Army.
