Chidi Samuel|
The Nigerian military has warned members of the protesting Shi’ite religious sect that its personnel are not issued rubber bullets when sent on assignment.
They have therefore asked members of the sect who clashed severally with soldiers last week in Abuja to bear this in mind and be ready for the consequences if they continue to attack the military.
The spokesman of the defence headquarters (DHQ), John Agim, gave the warning in an interview with Osasu Igbinedion on The Osasu Show while responding to the suggestion that the group are responding to government refusal to release their leader despite several court orders.
He said, “So they are attacking the military to show their satisfaction with the government, then they should be ready for the consequence.
“We don’t have rubber bullets when we are sent on assignments. So, if any organisation that is not happy with the government want to take on the military, then they should be ready for the consequence.
“Whatever the problem of the Shi’ites with the federal government, let them take it constitutionally. You take on any military in the world and you will be taken down.”
He continued, “There are different narratives out there that are not correct. It is not true that the military is being used to stop the Shi’ites from their normal procession.”
“Right from 2015, we have been hearing about the issue of Shi’ites and the military. It has never been that the military was sent to stop whatever thing they are doing.
“The problem emanates from the philosophy that guide the movement. The clash that you see, in fact, three times now, is that the Shi’ites obstruct the military from doing their job. They are a law unto themselves. They do anything.
“They are supposed to be a religious organisation. Where did they get those arms and ammunition? This was how Boko Haram started, in fact, it was not even as serious as this. The narrative is being given by an international community and it is very simple. They want to make the military look unprofessional.
“They have the right to protest. But when you protest, protest lawfully. Anybody that does not obey the laws of the land should be sanctioned.”
He said if the Shi’ites are left to protest freely, people ask where the military is, but if the military intervenes, “you people you are still blaming the military. Why don’t you let these people be?
“The solution is that Shi’ites must be a religious organisation. Obey the laws of the land. Nobody can take on the military and they will not have casualties,” he said
