At least eight people were feared killed on Tuesday after unidentified men in military uniform opened fire at some members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN (known as Shi’ites) who staged the annual Arbaeen trek at Gwarinpa district of Abuja.
Sources say that the armed men, who came in security patrol vans, stormed the area without prior notice to residents and attacked the sect members near the tricycle park at 3rd avenue, Gwarinpa around 10:00 am, killing about eight people including a passerby.
The busy road of Gwarimpa and Kubwa in the FCT was filled with commuters running for safety and motorists trying to move their vehicles to safety
One of the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “It was around 10:00 am we started hearing gunshots along the road. The shooting lasted about 10 minutes. But after the shooting, the gunmen appeared to have succeeded in thoroughly dispersing the Arbaeen trekkers.
This particular incident caused heavy gridlock on the Mararaba Axis and Kubwa road for those going about their economic activities.
When contacted, the Secretary of IMN’s Academic Forum, Abdullahi Musa, confirmed the incident but could not provide casualty details.