Two people were shot dead and many others sustained various degrees of injury following indiscriminate shooting of live ammunition at the protestors on Thursday, media reports said. 

At least 40 protesters, said to be members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) were arrested by police, according to the Nigerian daily The Nation.

Police said that a policeman was stoned to death by the demonstrators, but the organizers have rejected the claim.

In December 2015, the Nigerian army raided the residence of Sheikh Zakzaky, the leader of the IMN.

Nigerian troops killed over 300 of the cleric’s supporters, including three of his sons.

Despite a court ruling that ordered his unconditional release in 2016, the government has refused to set him free.

Sheikh Zakzaky’s deteriorating health condition has been a matter of serious concern for his supporters.