IHRC is extremely concerned about the fate of scores of marchers attacked and/or arrested by police in Nigeria as they took part in Arba’een commemorations in the capital Abuja.

Police opened fire at the marchers on Sunday 25 March without warning or provocation as they marched peacefully to mourn the death of the Prophet’s grandson, Husayn.

Four marchers are now confirmed to have been killed by police and their bodies taken to an undisclosed location. Hundreds more sustained injuries including gunshot wounds with some of this number arrested by police both at the location of the march and away from it. Their whereabouts are also unknown.

Their removal by police is a matter of great concern in view of the atrocious record of Nigerian police in dealing with Arba’een protestors, dead or alive. During Arba’een commemorations in 2019 police removed the bodies of six marchers they had shot dead, presumably in order to conceal their own culpability. Those bodies were only released this year after a long legal battle.

The safety of those arrested is also a matter of grave concern. In 2019, police arrested a number of wounded marchers from a hospital where they had gone to receive treatment. They later died in police custody.

Reports, supported by video footage, have also emerged that Nigerian police have forcibly removed the hijab from the heads of several females. A video of the incident has been shared widely on social media. It has sparked widespread outrage among Muslims nationwide.

The annual Arba’een processions have become a regular target for Nigerian security forces in recent years with not a single year passing by without police attacks on the marchers, most of them resulting in fatalities.

Arbaeen and Ashura processions have taken place throughout Nigeria for 40 years but in recent times have faced brutal attacks as the government has cracked down on the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and its leadership which organises the marches.

For more information or comment please contact the Press Office on (+44) 208 904 0222  or (+44) 7958 522196 or email media@ihrc.org