Between 12–14 December 2015, exactly 10–years ago, the Nigerian military carried out mass slaughter of hundreds of men, women and children in Zaria and attempted to cover-up of this crime, demonstrating an utter contempt for human life and accountability.
Amnesty International published evidence gathered on the ground, revealing how the Nigerian military burned people alive, razed buildings and dumped victims’ bodies in mass graves. No one was held to account.
More than 350 people were unlawfully killed by the military between 12 and 14 December 2015, following a confrontation between members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna state.
Soldiers set fire to the makeshift medical facility in IMN leader’s compound that afternoon when it was full with people attending activities. Those who were badly injured and could not escape from the gunfire were burned alive.
In desperate cover up efforts, after the incident the military sealed off the areas around Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky’s compound, the Hussainiyya and other locations. Bodies were taken away, sites were razed to the ground, the rubble removed, bloodstains washed off, and bullets and spent cartridge removed from the streets. There was a huge pile of corpses on top of each other.
Amnesty International identified and visited the location of a mass grave near Mando. Satellite images of the site taken on 2 November and 24 December 2015 show disturbed earth spanning an area of approximately 1000 square metres.
It is clear that the military not only used unlawful and excessive force against men, women and children, unlawfully killing hundreds, but then made considerable efforts to try to cover-up these crimes.
Ten years after the massacre the families of the missing are still awaiting news of their loved ones. A full independent forensic investigation is long overdue. The bodies must be exhumed, the incident must be impartially and independently investigated and those responsible must be held to account.
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