Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria known as Shi’ites on Monday clashed with some policemen while marching in Kano, Premium Times reports.

It was gathered that the Shi’ites were marching from Kano to Kaduna for the Ashura religious festival when the police tried to stop them, leading to violence.

“The police arrived and started firing teargas canisters on the procession of Shiites to disperse them,” grocer Ilyasu Ammani told AFP.

“I saw 15 bodies sprawled on the ground before the police evacuated them,” he said.

One of the policemen told AFP that they were forced to open fire after one of them was hurt.

“They injured one of our officers and our men opened fire because they were becoming violent,” said a police officer.

Kano and Kaduna States had placed a ban on Shi’ites from conducting street processions.

Azeez