A senior police officer has been killed in the protest by the Shiite group, IMN, in Abuja.

PRNigeria, a news agency with close ties to security agencies, named the slain police officer as Umar Usman,

Mr Usman was the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the protest by the Shiites turned violent on Monday.

The protesters alleged that the rally was peaceful while marching to the federal secretariat until they were shot at.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, a member of the IMN, Yahaya Mohammed, said the Shiite members were only having a peaceful protest when military officers attacked them.

“Which clash. There was no clash between us and anybody. It was a peaceful protest. Until these security officers just came and started shooting and attacking us,” Mr Mohammed said.

The police are yet to officially react to the death of the officer.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, was seen at the State House where he briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday’s protest.

When contacted, the Abuja police spokesperson referred all correspondence to Frank Mba, the spokesperson at the Force Headquarters.

Mr Mba, when contacted, said he would release a statement on the matter soon.

The emergency agency, NEMA, has however confirmed that the protesters burnt down two of its ambulances.

The Shiites are demanding the release of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who has been in detention since December 2015.

Details later…