At least five people were killed and many injured when security forces opened fire on Shi’ite protesters during an International Quds Day procession in Abuja. The confrontation occurred near Banex Plaza in Wuse 2 after military forces, using armored vehicles, blocked the route and fired indiscriminately at demonstrators, including women and children.
A senior Shi’ite leader suggested that a government directive was behind the crackdown, referencing an alleged security memo instructing agencies to act against the march. Witnesses reported mass detentions, with some bodies transported away by security vehicles.
The violence disrupted commercial activities, and conflicting accounts emerged—some eyewitnesses claimed protesters threw stones at civilian vehicles. While the U.S. Embassy had warned of potential unrest, neither the military nor the government had released an official statement at the time of reporting.
