The United Kingdom-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, IHRC, has released a damning report accusing Nigerian soldiers of indiscriminately shooting and killing defenceless members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in Zaria between July 25 and 26.

The report said 34 defenceless members of the group, led by prominent Islamic cleric, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, were murdered in cold blood as they marched through the streets of Zaria, in Kaduna State. More than 100 others were injured, it adds.

The report, compiled from interviews with victims, their families, witnesses, found that contrary to the Nigerian army’s account of the killings, the protesters were peaceful and did not provoke the attacks.

The IHRC fact-finding team, led by its Chair, Massoud Shadjareh, also obtained a video footage of soldiers firing at unarmed civilians at the end of the procession. The report said bystanders were among those killed by the rampaging soldiers.

The IHRC also said that it has unimpeachable evidence to prove that many of those arrested died in military custody, unable to withstand the brutality they were subjected to by the soldiers.

Read the rest of the article published on 24 October 2014 on Sahara Reporters