On Tuesday, December 15, some Christian leaders paid a condolence visit to the Shi’ite leader in Katsina state. The Whistle reports that members of the Christian Association of Nigeria expressed condolences over the killing of some Shi’ites during a bloody clash with the Nigerian army in Zaria, Kaduna state. On Sunday, December 13, soldiers of the Nigerian army raded the residence of Yaqub Al-Zakzaky, the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria, accusing members of his sect of having attempted to kill Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, the chief of army staff.
According to the official statement, made by Colonel Sani Usman, the director of army public relations, “the sect numbering hundreds carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres” and attempted to assassinate Buratai and members of his entourage. However, Al-Zakzaky denied any assassination attempt by saying: “They lied to have said we attacked them. Nobody attacked them; they were the ones that first stormed our headquarters with truck full of soldiers, sealed off our headquarters on a day we were supposed to change our flag and started shooting and killing our people.”
Christian Association of Nigeria in Katsina condoles with Shi’a leader Yaqub Zakzaky.
Meanwhile, Reno Omokri, the pastor of the Mind of Christ Christian Center in California, has taken a swipe at Christian leaders for keeping silent and not condemning the killing of Shiite Muslims by the Nigerian army. “If you are quiet when Shiites are killed because you are not a Shiite, don’t be surprised when others are quiet when your brother is killed!” Omokri posted on his Twitter.