By Waziri Mahdi Isa
My attention has been drawn to a purported report shared by the Nigerian US Embassy alleging that the members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria is planning to carry out a protest today, Friday, which may involve roadblocks, traffic congestion and violent confrontation between protestors and security forces.
We don’t know where the US Embassy got this information from. However, to set the record straight, the members of Islamic movement over the years, come out annually to protest alongside their counterparts across the world to take part in the International Quds Day rallies in show of their unwavering support, solidarity and commitment to the Palestinian cause, which of course would be different this year in terms of momentum and number, following the ongoing genocide carried out by the apartheid zionist regime in Gaza.
These processions are not new in Nigeria, as the Islamic movement started taking part in such processions for over 40 years now, in an answer to the call of the founder of the Islamic Revolution, late Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini that declared and invited all free-spirited people of the world to come out in every last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan to show their support and solidarity with the Palestinians as well as other oppressed people of the world, from Nigeria to Syria.
It is very important for Nigerians to know, today’s rallies will be peaceful as it has always been, unless if Nigerian Security forces decide to go wild and bloodthirsty and attack the protestors, otherwise, there wouldn’t be any violent confrontation between the protestors and security forces whatsoever, and the rallies would be organised in such a way that the right of the participants to freedom of assembly and expression and the right of other Nigerians of freedom of movement would be ensured to go hand-in-hand as fair as possible, without any roadblocks as claimed by the report.
As such, we urge Nigerians to disregard this purported report, as it was made to distract people and cause unnecessary panic in the society.
I would like to conclude with the words of the great legend of Africa, Nelson Mandela, where he said, “Our Freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”
Waziri Mahdi Isa
05/03/2024