Violent clashes at Nigerian Shia protest

There have been violent clashes outside Nigeria’s National Assembly between police and Shia protesters.

There have been violent clashes outside Nigeria’s National Assembly between police and Shia protesters.

Protesters say officers shot two people dead, but the police said they had used “minimum force” and that eight security personnel were injured.

The members of the pro-Iran Shia Muslim sect, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), were protesting against the detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.

He has been detained since 2015.

The police said that two of their officers had been shot in the leg and six others injured by clubs and stones.

They added that 40 members of the sect had been arrested.