Nigeria: Nearly 20 Martyred As Police Attacks Al-Quds Day Demonstration

By Staff, Agencies

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters have been martyred and wounded as security forces opened fire on an International Al-Quds Day demonstration in Nigeria's capital city.

According to reports, at least 19 demonstrators were martyred and dozens more wounded in Abuja on Friday.

Video footage of the scenes shows armed forces securing the perimeter as protestors flee for cover while bullet shots are heard. The footage also shows soldiers dragging the lifeless body of a civilian on the street and dumping it into a pickup while beating two other protesters and forcing them to get into another truck.

The Islamic Human Rights Commission [IHRC] had expressed concern over attacks against protesters after it was revealed that Nigerian authorities were making preparations in this regard as a pretext for an attack.

The Office of the National Security Adviser had stressed the necessity to stop the al-Quds day demonstration to “prevent a breach of the peace” by the pro-Palestinian protesters, according to a leaked internal letter seen by the IHRC.

In the leaked communique, Nigerian authorities had warned that though the pro-Palestinian demonstrations were peaceful, the protesters had the potential to seek justice by attacking US and “Israeli” interests in the country. Therefore, their demos must be stopped.

This method has been used by Nigeria’s pro- “Israel” officials in recent years to prompt the forces to stage a violent crackdown on the demonstrators.