THE ATTACK ON HUSSAINIYYA
On the morning of Saturday 12th of December 2015, soldiers were stationed directly opposite the Hussainiyyah Baqiyatullah (Center where teaching sessions and other activities are held)
located along Sokoto road, close to the polo pitch.
On that day, the Movement was to commemorate a flag hoisting event. The event was to mark the beginning of the Month of Rabiul Awwal, the birth month of the holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) where a green flag is to be hoisted replacing the black flag.
Some people from different places have started attending the event which was to commence in the evening. Those in attendance were inside the Husainiyyah while the organizers were busy putting the place in order.
At about 12:30 pm, some of the curious organizers went to confirm why the Army in such numbers were stationed in front of the Hussainiyyah and were informed that they were having a passing-out parade. They said to the soldiers that they have had passing-out parades in the past, but they have never stationed soldiers there and that their presence was generating
tension considering what they did in 2014 where they killed 34 brothers and sisters of the Movement. The soldiers started shooting in the air. This was what made those inside the Husainiyyah to start coming out on the road.
In the midst of this, the soldiers started taking position and all of a sudden there was siren of the purported entourage of the Chief of Army Staff which was blocked as a result of the presence of people in front of the Hussainiyyah and on the road in front.
That was when the Army took advantage of the situation and took video of the tension and part of what ensured between some people and the Army. When the tension persisted, the entourage shot some people and passed through.
About an hour later there was reinforcement of the Army carrying heavy arms and box of ammunitions that resumed killing indiscriminately. Eye witnesses saw Nigerian Army killing
small children who were confused and running for refuge outside the Hussainiyyah.
They remained in that situation killing any of the members at sight, while the brothers and sisters of the Movement, who are also armless, took cover inside the Hussainiyyah.
The soldiers called on those inside the Hussainiyyah who are in their hundreds to come out of the Hussainiyyah with their hands up which some of them did, but were shot by the soldiers as they went out and this prevented the others from conceding.
Later that night the Nigerian Army threw grenades at the Hussainiyyah putting down part of the wall to gain access. Those inside were taking cover as the soldiers have surrounded the entire
building and were shooting indiscriminately and there was nowhere to go to.
Hundreds of unarmed civilians were murdered by the Army at the Hussainiyyah that night amongst who were children. They cordoned off the entire area and took away the corpses of those they murdered. Some of the corpses at that time were deposited at the Mortuary of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Shika near Zaria.
They later brought down the frontage of the Hussainiyyah and later leveled the entire structure on Sunday 20, December 2015.
_ By Academic Forum of the Islamic movement in Nigeria.
Tags
Zaria Massacre