At least one person is reported dead and many more are injured after police opened fire on the annual Al-Quds Day march in Kaduna, northern Nigeria.

Haidar Ishaq was hit when security forces shot at demonstrators who were marching peacefully.

Videos from the event show protestors scrambling for cover as police fire gunshots and tear gas towards the crowd.

Before the start of today’s march, IHRC had expressed fears that security forces may turn violent. The rallies and marches are usually organised by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria which has faced severe repression by various administrations. Those fears now appear have been borne out.

The Al-Quds Day parade takes place every year on the last Friday of Ramadan in towns and cities all over Nigeria, and indeed the Muslim world to show solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine.

This is not the first time security forces have attacked Al-Quds protestors in Nigeria. In July 2014, police opened fire on a rally in Zaria, northern Nigeria killing 34 people. And last year police killed a protestor in the capital Abuja.

[ENDS]

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