Leader of the Shiite group in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, has alleged that Friday’s killing of his sons during a procession in Zaria, Kaduna, North-West Nigeria, was planned by the Nigerian seat of power in Abuja.

El-Zakzaky, who poured out his feelings yesterday at a press conference at his residence in the Gyallesu area of Zaria, also accused the President Goodluck Jonathan administration of having turned Nigeria into another Gaza where the Israelis kill innocent people for no just cause.

His words: “It is unfortunate how the authorities have turned Nigeria into another Gaza where the Israelis kill innocent people for no just cause.

“The killing of my children and followers was intentionally planned from Abuja and executed by the soldiers.

“What concerns us at the moment is to perform the funeral rites of those that were killed.”

He called on his followers to remain calm “despite the fact that 35 of our followers have been killed in cold blood by soldiers including three of my children.”

He explained that “whatever action, if any, that would be taken in response to the gruesome killings perpetrated against innocent people by the soldiers will come much later after the funeral rites might have ended.”

Narrating the circumstances that led to the killings, Sheikh El-Zakzaky said: “The procession started in its usual way after the Friday prayers with people chanting slogans and singing songs condemning the illegal occupation and killing of innocent lives in Israel and ended peacefully.

“It was after the procession had finished that the soldiers came and started shooting sporadically on all that were either going to or from the demonstration.

“All of a sudden there was shooting. People coming to and going back from the procession were shot at. They continued the shooting until some time in the fall of the night. The shooters hid themselves in the Kubanni Sugarcane farms area.”

The Shiite strongman alleged that his son Mahmood Ibraheem “was shot at as a result of this but was denied medical attention by the blood-thirsty soldiers who blocked the way refusing them access to treatment until he bled to death. It was in the course of the shooting that they shot at my son.”

•Photo shows Nigeria’s Shiite Leader, Sheikh El-Zakzaky.