"But the situation of throwing stones at them; yes [stone] is the weapon of somebody who is not armed. When they started opening fire on us because they had been commanded that they should kill us, we had nothing to do than to throw stones at them and this is the proof that we were not armed. How can somebody with gun be shooting you and you are throwing stones? If you are armed and somebody is shooting you, won't you shoot back?"
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) says the throwing of stones and soldiers and policemen by Shi'ites is proof that members of the group were not armed during last week's conforntations, desite a contrary claim by the Military
The movement also said it had spent N8million on the treatment of the members who sustained gunshot injuries during a violent clash with the military in Abuja last week.
It disclosed this in Abuja on Monday, at a press conference on the attack on the movement by the security operatives.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Sheik Abdullahi Zango said they had paid the a whopping of N8million as hospital bills for 106 followers of Shaikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who are currently receiving treatment at various hospital in Abuja.
He noted that additional N25million will be needed to cater to other casualties who are still recuperating in their hospital beds.
Zango explained that the statement issued by the Military and Police in respect of the attacks, that they blocked road for vehicles conveying arms at Zuba axis, were fabricated. He accused the Military of attacking the peaceful procession, opening fire on defenceless protesters and cooking up lies in defence.
Zango maintained that the group was pushed to the wall, which provoked the members into hurling stones at the soldiers. He stressed that resorting to stones by the group proved that the protesters were not armed.
"But the situation of throwing stones at them; yes [stone] is the weapon of somebody who is not armed. When they started opening fire on us because they had been commanded that they should kill us, we had nothing to do than to throw stones at them and this is the proof that we were not armed.
"How can somebody with gun be shooting you and you are throwing stones? If you are armed and somebody is shooting you, won't you shoot back? Why should you use stone? Stone is the weapon of a person defending himself against attack, because stones are found everywhere."
He said the allegations by the military that the group is armed is a diversionary to cover the atrocity of killing 46 innocent Nigerians.
"They continue to say that we are armed; this is a blatant lie," he said.
"I swear to God before all of you here, If we were armed, Nigeria army cannot face us. If we have weapons with us, Nigeria is too small to face us. With our courage and bravery, with empty hand they are running away from us talk less of when we have arms. They know that we are not armed, because they are cowards. How can you go and attack people with our wives and children?"
"If the Police actually found anything incriminating against the group then it must have been those planted by the Police to infiltrate and blackmail the group. If they should show you people that we have arms, it is a lie. Yes, it is some people whom they have planted among us to use those guns against the security agents to blackmail us, if at all we have such situation."
Zango added that Imrana Abdullahi, a member of the group who is receiving treatment at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, due to injuries he sustained from the attack of the Military and Police, had just passed away, bringing the total number of people killed by the security agents to 47.