FCT, Abuja | Police Command warns Shiites against Protest

Following the protest by the members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), demand­ing the release of their lead­er Ibrahim El-Zakzaky in Abuja yesterday, the Feder­al Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Mustafa, has warned the group to desist from further actions that will threaten the peace of residents of the capital city.

He, therefore, reiterated that the command is well prepared and possesses the wherewithal to confront any threat to the existence of serene, peaceful FCT.

While briefing journal­ists yesterday, Mustafa further warned that his command will not fold its hands and watch the group disrupt the peace of the residents of the FCT, insisting that the protest was illegal and with satanic intention.

“In view of the current security situation in the country, the command un­equivocally reiterate that while it will continue to be professional in the dis­charge of its constitution and statutory role of pro­tection of lives and prop­erty of all the good people of the FCT and equally recognise the right of citi­zens to express their law­ful grievances, the com­mand will not, I repeat, the command will not fold its arms by permitting some individuals or groups of persons to threaten the ex­isting peaceful atmosphere in the FCT under the guise of expressing alleged griev­ances.

“To this end, I therefore warn those of the Shi’ite group to desist forthwith as the protest is not intended to be peaceful,” he said.