Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), commonly known as Shiites, have staged a solidarity protest in Abuja, Nigeria, in support of Palestinians following Israel’s retaliatory attack on the Gaza Strip and Hamas fighters.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!During the protest, held at the prominent Banex Plaza and concluding at the traffic light on Ahamadu Bello Way, Shiite demonstrators brandished Palestinian national flags and voiced their grievances against Israeli actions. They also symbolically burned the Israeli national flag to express their anger.
Israel had initiated its bombardment of the Gaza Strip in response to a surprise attack by Hamas, resulting in the loss of hundreds of Israeli civilian lives.
The protesters called on Nigerians to break their silence and raise their voices in support of oppressed Palestinians while celebrating the achievements of the Palestinian people. They emphasized that the Palestinian struggle was a fight against global injustice and for the rights of oppressed people worldwide.
Sheikh Sidi Munir Sokoto, on behalf of the movement, issued a statement during the rally, which read, “Palestine launched Al-Aqsa Flood to respond to the recent attacks by the Israel Occupation Forces on al-Aqsa mosque and the Gaza refugee camp. We are demonstrating in solidarity with Palestine for the success recorded in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation against the state of Israel. Supporting the struggle for the freedom of Palestine is not only for Muslims alone, but for all people of conscience.”
“Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was also in response to the Israeli Occupation Forces’ 16-year blockade of Gaza, raids inside West Bank cities over the past year, violence at al-Aqsa, increasing attacks by the state of Israel on Palestinians, and the growth of settlements. Israel is in breach of international law, and the Palestinians are fighting to liberate their homeland from 75 years of Israeli oppression and terrorism,” the statement continued.
The protesters asserted that it is crucial to condemn the injustices and oppression faced by the Palestinian people, and they reiterated that supporting oppressed people is a fundamental human value. The statement concluded with a quote from Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizing the interconnectedness of humanity: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied to a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
