The protest of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) at the National Assembly has turned bloody.
One police officer was shot by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites, during a demonstration at the National Assembly on Tuesday, July 9, 2019.
The Islamic sect has long protested against the detention of its spiritual leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who was arrested in 2015.
During the group’s demonstration on Tuesday, the horde of protesters disarmed a security operative before using the weapon on a policeman stationed at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The group managed to overwhelm the first gate of the complex and marched on the second one just before the main building that houses the upper and lower legislative chambers.
Security agents shot into the air to dissuade the determined group from advancing into the complex where lawmakers continued with their sessions.
The group was eventually repelled after reinforcements arrived on the scene with at least 250 operatives from different agencies present on the scene.
The policeman who was shot was taken unconscious from the scene for medical treatment, according to an eyewitness.
The protesters also damaged a police vehicle on the premises and damaged several other vehicles. Some workers of the National Assembly were also stoned by the protesters.
