Iran Press/ Africa: Hundreds of people attended the funeral prayer to repose the souls of the six martyrs at Darur-rahama cemetery in Zaria of Kaduna State.
Ali Muhammad, one of the youths that survived the deadly security attack on the peaceful Ashura mourners, who has been shot in his leg, told Iran Press: "When the security forces arrived at Babban Dodo roundabout where the procession ended, we confronted them. We met them and asked politely why they were there. They told us that they wanted to pass. But we later realized that they would open fire, so we started to move backward. When we moved backward, they started opening fire with live ammunition sporadically as if they were at war. They were shooting and we were shouting Takbir (Allahu Akbar), throwing stones at them to stop them from moving towards the crowd (the mourners). They keep shooting more than you thought. That's when they shot me in the leg, and brothers took me away." When I was being taken, I saw many people gone down. They shot someone in the head."
Another eyewitness, Ahmad Ibrahim, who escaped the shooting by the members of the Nigerian Army, said: "We saw Police and Soldiers parked their war vehicles in front of Emir of Zazzau Palace when the Ashura procession was about to be ended. We realized they intended to open fire. We made a vow that we would never leave the place till all women and children have gone safely."
Ahmad Ibrahim added: "Although, initially they said they would just pass, they were not there to kill. But eventually, they did take cover and started to fire teargas and later with live bullets. They did not care despite there were women and children among us. They shot so many people. I was later fainted due to teargas and I was taken away from there."
Malam Dini Na-Manzon-Allah is a Sunni Muslim who practices Sufism. He condemned the attack of the Nigerian military on Shia Muslims. He said: "Nigerian security forces are being paid wages to be attacking bandits and Takfiri terrorists, not civilians. We pray that may Allah do the same to whoever involved in killing Ashura mourners."
Nigerian Muslims on Monday conducted annual Ashura processions in more than 25 cities and towns across the country peacefully, but in Zaria of Kaduna State, troops of the Nigerian Army with Police murdered six people and wounded more than 50.
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