The Chief of Army Staff has revealed that members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria who belong to the Shiites movement, attacked his convoy with petrol bombs in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Gen. Tukur Buratai
Speaking in his office when he received in audience the Executive Secretary of the Centre for Crisis Communication, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd), the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has revealed that members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, who belong to the Shiites movement, attacked his convoy with petrol bombs in Zaria, Kaduna State in December 2015.
The army chief who made the revelation, spoke on the recent face-off with the Shiites group in Zaria, Kaduna State. He maintained the Army’s position that there was nothing like premeditated murder of some of the sect’s members as alleged by such groups as Amnesty International.
He said, "How can anybody accuse a responsible armed agency of government of murder? On the contrary, the people were attacking the soldiers with petroleum bomb and other weapons.
"In actual fact, not all of them knew how to handle Molotov they were trying to use it against the Army and it back fired on them."
The army chief also said troops of the Nigerian Army were gallant patriots who had the interest of the corporate existence and integrity of the Nigerian state at heart and have sworn to do anything and everything possible, including laying down their lives, in order to the defend the country.
"The Army will henceforth ensure that gallant soldiers who die in action are given a publicized befitting burial with full military honours. In fact, even if it means conducting it in arrears, we will ensure that our fallen heroes are given befitting national burials.
"Aside from that, we have also ensured that immediate family members of our fallen officers and soldiers receive prompt payment of all their entitlements and other welfare supports," he said.