Kano Crackdown: Why Police Killed Shi'ite Protesters in Kano - IGP Ibrahim Idris

The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has justified Monday’s police crackdown on the protesting Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) in Kano, which claimed the lives of a policeman and about 10 protesters in Kano on Monday.
He said the police action was taken against the Shi’ites to protect the rights of other Nigerians and policemen.
The Shi’ites marched through the major streets of Kano to protest the detention of their leaders, Mallam Ibrahim El-Zakzaky by federal authorities.

The situation degenerated when a police sergeant was killed by the protesters who tried to block traffic on the roads and police responded with lethal force, killing nine of them.
The police Chief spoke with State House correspondents shortly after he attended the launch of the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Emblem and Appeal Fund at the Presidential Villa, Abuja by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
Idris said that the Shiite members brazenly violated the country’s laws on freedom of movement, committed murder and had to be stopped in the interest of the public.
Recounting the incident, he said “obviously from time to time, we have been experiencing upheavals from this set of people. As police officers, we have a responsibility to ensure there is law and order and when you have people taking over the whole country, dominating streets and buildings; we have to come in to maintain sanity in those areas.
“As of early yesterday, we got information that they were trying to block Kano-Zaria road. They later assembled in large numbers and our officers were deployed to the place to ensure freedom of movement of ordinary Nigerians.
“They attacked our officers, killed one of our officers, one sustained an arrow wound on his head and obviously in such a situation, police have the responsibility to ensure free movement of people on the road. And that was what our officers did.