T1B

Nigerian Army Uses Trump’s Words to Justify Fatal Shooting of Rock-Throwing Protesters

Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria preparing the bodies of members killed when the Nigerian Army opened fire during the group’s protests in the capital Abuja this week

By Dionne Searcey and Emmanuel Akinwotu
Nov. 2, 2018


DAKAR, Senegal — The Nigerian Army, part of a military criticized for rampant human rights abuses, on Friday used the words of President Trump to justify its fatal shootings of rock-throwing protesters.

Soldiers opened fire this past Monday on a march of about 1,000 Islamic Shia activists who had been blocking traffic in the capital, Abuja. Videos circulated on social media showed several protesters hurling rocks at the heavily armed soldiers who then shot fleeing protesters in the back.

The Nigerian military said three protesters were killed but the toll appears to have been much higher.

Amnesty International as well as leaders of the protest said more than 40 people were killed at the march and two other smaller marches, with more than 100 wounded by bullets. A Reuters reporter counted 20 bodies at the main march.

Human rights activists and many ordinary citizens were outraged at the military’s response, which echoed a similar confrontation in 2015, when soldiers killed nearly 350 protesters from the same group, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, the largest and most recognizable face of Shia Islam in the country. The group organizes frequent protest marches.

Early Friday morning, the military responded to the criticism.

The Army’s official Twitter account posted a video, “Please Watch and Make Your Deductions,” showing Mr. Trump’s anti-migrant speech on Thursday in which he said rocks would be considered firearms if thrown toward the American military at the nation’s borders.

— Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) November 2, 2018
“We’re not going to put up with that,” Mr. Trump said in the clip. “They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back.”

In Nigeria, Mr. Trump is a popular figure among many people who praise what they regard as his straightforwardness and frank talk despite his reported insult to the nation last year when he said Nigerians in the United States would never “go back to their huts” in Africa.

Mr. Trump also referred to unspecified African countries as “shithole countries.”

Earlier this year after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, during which Mr. Trump praised the Nigerian leader’s fight against the Islamic State in West Africa, he said he never again wanted to meet someone so lifeless as Mr. Buhari, the Financial Times reported.

Screw_Michigan wrote:Nigeria uses Trump speech to justify murdering rock throwers.

Left Seater wrote: Typical jizz mopping here. The murders happened on Monday. Trump makes a comment on Thursday. Lib idiots want to twist it to make it sound like the dates were reversed.

Screw_America wrote:

Left Seater wrote: Typical jizz mopping here. The murders happened on Monday. Trump makes a comment on Thursday. Lib idiots want to twist it to make it sound like the dates were reversed.

The dates are irrelevant. Nigeria used the video to justify the murders.

schmick wrote:So you would rather our forces not defend themselves vs an invasion force attacking with deadly weapons?

Screw_Michigan wrote:
The dates are irrelevant. Nigeria used the video to justify the murders.

Softball Bat wrote: I would rather you not post idiotic things.

Derron wrote:If anybody could flesh out an idiotic post is you.

Mikey wrote:

Derron wrote:If anybody could flesh out an idiotic post is you.

Well played there.

smackaholic wrote:Is there ANYTHING you won't blame Trump for?

As for what he said, I would have went further. I would say that this caravan has proven itself a hostile force. When it gets to the border, it will be treated as such. I would not wait for them to throw rocks. I would instruct them to warn the caravan to stop. When they continue to move forward, lay down a little warning fire. When that doesn't stop them, light them up with a little 50 cal action. Yeah, 50 cal is a wee bit of overkill but fuggem. Wouldn't need to shoot many before they would comprende.

Softball Bat wrote:There are multiple ways our troops could deal with rocks being thrown at them without resorting to blowing people away.

lol





Get a grip, dude.

Softball Bat wrote:Yesterday Don backed down from his blatantly asinine take (which some in here were so foolishly eager to rationalize).

Softball Bat wrote:blatantly asinine take

Screw_Michigan wrote:have zero integrity.

Left Seater wrote:Once you move past the circle jerk, the irony is amazing.

Softball Bat wrote:blatantly asinine take

Screw_Michigan wrote:have zero integrity.

Both just described themselves perfectly.

Left Seater wrote:So upholding our nations borders and laws is hateful and racist?

You really are delusional. But hey keep telling yourself you are the morality police.

Left Seater wrote:The murders happened on Monday. Trump makes a comment on Thursday. Lib idiots want to twist it to make it sound like the dates were reversed.

Left Seater wrote:So upholding our nations borders and laws is hateful and racist?

Kierland wrote:

Left Seater wrote:Once you move past the circle jerk, the irony is amazing.

Softball Bat wrote:blatantly asinine take

Screw_Michigan wrote:have zero integrity.

Both just described themselves perfectly.

Nice IKYABWAI.

Mikey wrote:So sending 15,000 troops to the border to shoot at unarmed people who have yet to break any of our laws is a reasonable way to “uphold our borders and laws?”

Duly noted. And here I thought you were all against government overreach and wasteful spending.

Kierland wrote:

Mikey wrote:So sending 15,000 troops to the border to shoot at unarmed people who have yet to break any of our laws is a reasonable way to “uphold our borders and laws?”

Duly noted. And here I thought you were all against government overreach and wasteful spending.

It’s impossible to waste money on the defense department according to these idiots.