By Emeka Mamah

Kaduna – Policemen in Kaduna state have been placed on a red alert following security reports that Shiite Islamic fundamentalists who clashed with them in Zaria weekend were re-grouping to launch a reprisal attack on the law enforcement agents.

State Police Commissioner, Tambari Yabo Mohammed made this known while addressing newsmen in his office weekend.

There was pandemonium in Zaria on Friday evening when police clashed with the Shiite Muslims leading to the death of two Shiites.

Mohammed said that during the shootout between the police and the Shiites, two of their members died while four others, including two policemen, an Assistant Superintendent of Police and a Corporal were injured.

The name of the policemen were given as ASP Umaru Buba and Corporal Paul Maigari.

*Shiite Islamic sect peaceful procession along Ahmadu Bello way, Kaduna Friday.

The commissioner said that Buba was shot in the buttocks while Maigari was shot on the head with a catapult.

His words: “in the last two weeks, the Shiites had circulated a lot of leaflets in Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara and other states. In Kaduna, the issue was handled by the state Security Council which advised that police should allow the demonstrators to carry out their activities peacefully.

“On Friday morning, when they came out to demonstrate, police led them to all the places they went and they were peaceful until they dispersed.

“However, by 3.15 pm, I received a phone call from my Area Commander in Zaria that the Shiites were regrouping to demonstrate and I asked him to detail policemen to follow them peacefully.

“But as they were approaching Kofan Doka, many people had gathered there and policemen were controlling the traffic to allow them easy passage.

“ASP Umaru Buba who was controlling traffic there was crossing the road to join his colleagues when he was shot on the buttocks and he fell down. The Shiites members however removed his gun from him and used the butt to hit him on the head, mouth and every part of his body.

“It was at this time that a shootout between the police and the Shiites members started. Two Shiites died immediately and Corporal Maigari who was shot on the head with a catapult was seriously injured.

“The Shiites provoked the crisis because in Kaduna, nothing happened because there was a peaceful demonstration. Two people died and not three and I challenge anybody to bring out the third corpse of the Shiites.

“ASP Buba suffered from excessive hemorrhage and this was exactly what happened. We had no reason to open fire when we were not provoked. Our riffle was snatched and they used the butt of the gun to assault the ASP.

“The Shiites are known to be die hard and they can do anything. We will not take anything to chances. The Shiites have arms and they may be planning a reprisal attack on the police. We have recovered our gun and no gun belonging to the police is with them.

“Before this time, we had seized all the bayonets which people imported from Israel and were using them as part of their dressing everywhere. I am not aware of the number of arrest so far made”, he said.