Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria staged protests across several northern states over the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the police ordered heightened nationwide surveillance amid rising tensions.
WATCH: Shiites Protest In Nigeria Over Killing Of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Khamenei pic.twitter.com/12wMorpGDq
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Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shi’ites and led by Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, on Sunday protested in Gombe, Niger, Kano, Bauchi, Yobe and Sokoto states over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a reported joint US-Israeli airstrike. The demonstrations came as the Nigeria Police Force ordered Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to heighten surveillance nationwide, with particular attention to the North Central, North East and North West regions amid tensions in the Middle East.
In Gombe, IMN members held what they described as a peaceful procession after observing prayers, marching from their religious centre in the Tudun Wadan Pantami area of the metropolis. The protesters displayed placards denouncing the incident and calling for justice. Speaking on behalf of the group, Sheikh Muhammad Abbari Gombe described the US-Israeli airstrikes against Iran as unfortunate and unacceptable, urging followers to remain calm and law-abiding while continuing to express their views through peaceful means. Security presence was observed in parts of the city during the demonstration.
Similar protests were reported in Niger, Kano, Bauchi and Yobe states, where participants marched through major streets chanting solidarity slogans and waving Iranian flags alongside placards bearing inscriptions such as “We Stand With Iran,” “Free Iran,” and other anti-US and anti-Israel messages. In a statement circulated among supporters, the IMN expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Khamenei and vowed to continue supporting Iran while resisting what it termed Western interference in Middle Eastern affairs.
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