Following the brutal clash between the Nigerian army and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (Shiite sect) in December 2015, the Kaduna State Government, on Thursday, prayed a high court to sentence fifty Shiite Muslims to death over the killing of an army officer.
The state government had preferred a 5-count charge against the Shiite sect members, accusing them of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, culpable homicide, disturbance of public peace and wrongful restrain.
The 50 accused persons are among the 265 people who were arrested after the bloody Shiite/Army clash.
In the suit which was filed before Justice David Wyom, the state government stated that the accusations were punishable under Sections 97, 221, 102, 106 and 225 of the Penal Code Law, Laws of Kaduna State 1991 while Section 102 of the penal code prescribes death sentence for culpable homicide.
It further noted that the said crimes were committed between December 12 and 14, 2015 in Zaria, Kaduna state.
The accused are said to have shot dead Captain Yakubu Dankaduna ‘with a gun when he alighted from the convoy to disperse the IMN members.’
The counsel to the state government informed the court that the state intends to call 39 witnesses to testify against the accused.
The case was adjourned to May 16 before the accused could enter their plea.
