Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria on Friday held a rally in Abuja to mourn the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, marking the first time the group has staged a protest in the Federal Capital Territory since his killing.
Following Khamenei’s killing on February 26 by the United States and Israel, IMN members had staged protests in several northern cities and Lagos.
Amid concerns over possible demonstrations in the FCT, the United States Embassy in Nigeria had earlier shut its operations.
There had also been heavy deployment of security operatives across parts of the FCT over fears that the Shiites might stage protests in Abuja.
The rally, which coincided with the annual Quds Day observance, drew thousands of Shiite Muslims to the National Mosque in Abuja, where participants carried banners, waved flags and chanted slogans condemning Israeli actions against Palestinians.
Speaking with our correspondent, the Chairman of the Media Forum of the Islamic Movement, Ammar Rajab, said the movement had been observing Quds Day in Nigeria for over 40 years through lectures, discussions, processions and public awareness campaigns.
According to him, this year’s event was particularly significant amid what he described as worsening humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territories, with hundreds of thousands displaced and many killed or injured since October 2023.
Rajab said, “This year’s observance is particularly urgent as reports indicate that over 200,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured since October 2023, with hundreds of thousands displaced. Journalists have been barred from reporting the crisis, leaving the reality largely hidden.
“We also mourned the assassination of Ayatullah Ali Khamenei, highlighting his uncompromising stand against oppression and injustice, and reaffirmed the movement’s call for the freedom and liberation of Palestine.”
He, however, denied reports that security operatives attacked IMN members during the rally.
“It is not true. We started peacefully and left without any intervention from the police,” he said.
Meanwhile, some residents complained of traffic congestion along the Nyanya–Mararaba axis on Friday as security operatives mounted checkpoints and searched vehicles following the announcement of the rally.
The movement also staged a demonstration in Bauchi in support of Palestine.
The leader of the movement in the state, Ahmad Yashi, while speaking with Saturday , said the demonstration was part of activities marking Quds Day, which is observed on the last Friday of every Ramadan across the world.
He explained that the protest was aimed at showing solidarity with Palestinians, whom he said had been under invasion for decades.
“This is a known demonstration held on the last Friday of every Ramadan worldwide under the Quds Day platform. It is to show support and sympathy for Palestinians who have been under invasion for about eight decades,” he said.
Yashi added that the demonstration had always been peaceful over the years, alleging that any breakdown of law and order in previous instances was usually caused by authorities due to what he described as a lack of understanding of the group’s activities.
The movement also reiterated its support for Iran amid the ongoing war involving the United States and Israel, stating that the killing of Khamenei would only escalate the crisis.
Yashi said the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader would not bring peace but would rather worsen the situation.
“We are with Iran in heart and soul. They targeted the Iranian Supreme Leader to make the country surrender, but they are mistaken. The Supreme Leader, as a religious authority, was among those dousing tensions,” he said.
He described Islam as a religion of peace but blamed Western powers for what he termed persistent global unrest.
“Islam is a peaceful religion, but the West is the problem. They are selfish and want everyone to bow to them. This will not happen; those days are gone,” he added.
Yashi also disclosed that members of the movement in Bauchi had earlier staged a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with Iran.
“We conducted a peaceful demonstration in support of Iran, and every Muslim must take a side in this war. You are either with the righteous or with the oppressors,” he stated.