It has now been seven years since the tragic Karu Bridge massacre of 2018, when 52 followers of the Islamic Movement were mercilessly killed and numerous injured during their peaceful Symbolic Arba'een Trek by soldiers of the Presidential Guards Brigade. Those martyrs were unarmed believers, walking only to honor Imam Husain (PBUH), yet they were met with bullets instead of protection.
The unarmed trekkers obviously did not attack any checkpoint, contrary to the army’s false claim, a lie manufactured to justify their killing. The same military then misled the media by saying they killed “only three” people, despite clear evidence to the contrary. The New York Times documented the incident in detail, exposing all these claims as fabrications. This is part of a long-standing pattern: whenever they attack, they follow up with false propaganda. The same was done in December 2015 during the Zaria massacre, when they claimed to have killed only seven, even though over 1,000 adherents of the Islamic Movement were slaughtered.
The pain of Karu Bridge still pierces our hearts. But worse still is the fact that not a single soldier or commander has been brought to justice. The Nigerian authorities not only refused to investigate but also continued their persecution against the Movement.
Since Karu Bridge, the authorities have maintained a consistent pattern of hostility towards the Arba'een Trek. In 2019, 2021, 2022, and again in 2024, the army attacked peaceful processions, assaulting, injuring, and arresting innocent participants. The 2024 assault alone left several seriously injured, and numerous arrests, including children, women, and men. To this day, 31 of our brothers remain unjustly detained in Keffi Prison since last year.
This year’s Arba’een Trek once again revealed this intent to kill. Both the Mararaba and Suleja sides concluded their processions peacefully. Yet, after the trekkers had dispersed, soldiers and policemen moved into Kubwa’s Arba’een route with the clear aim of attacking. Allah’s willing, they arrived too late and found no one. Their frustration was evident. Three Caterpillar trucks were spotted on the route, with soldiers hiding inside.
Seven years on, the message remains the same: the Karu Bridge martyrs deserve justice. The killers must face trial, the persecution must end, and the right to peaceful religious expression must be protected. Justice delayed is justice denied, and we will not stop speaking the truth until justice is done.
#KaruBridgeMassacre
#OurMartyrsOurHeroes
#FreeAllOurBrethren
#StruggleContinues
— Columnist Husayn Sulaymani | ABS Radio 🎙️