Alwaght- Millions of Nigerians on Friday attended the International Quds day marches organized by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria across to express their solidarity with the “oppressed Palestinians people” and condemn Israeli atrocities in occupied territories of Palestine.
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria IMN in the northern cities of Sokoto, Katsina and Potiskum started their peaceful procession in the morning before Friday prayers, where they passed the major streets chanting slogans in support of the Palestinian course.
In Katsina, Sheikh Yaqoub Yahya, addressed a large crowd that participated in the march, calling on the international community to cut the hands of Israeli usurpers in Palestine.
In Sokoto, Sheikh Qasim Umar called on the thousands that attended the march not to relent in their efforts to see to the liberation of Palestine from the clutches of Israeli Zionists.
Similarly, the Quds Day marches were held after Friday prayers in many other cities like Kaduna, Zaria, Kano, Bauchi, Yola, Lafia, Gombe and Jalingo.
With members of the Movement clad in white T-shirts with inscriptions “Free Sheikh Zakzaky”, Free Palestine” they also called for the immediate and unconditional release of the leader of the Movement who has been in detention since the Army attacked the center of the Movement in Zaria last December.
Addressing the protesters at the close of the event in Kaduna, Malam Aliyu Tirmizi who led the demonstration warned against the importation of state terrorism by the Nigerian government from Israel as evident in what happened in Zaria last December.
Soldiers were cited in Katsina and Sokoto during the marches. They, however, did not make any effort to disperse the protest.
During the marches, public statement was issued and distributed to bystanders, signed by Sheikh Abdulhamid Bello.
It reads: “As we march out today in millions on the streets to protest against Israeli occupation and aggression in Palestine, we are answering the call made by Imam Khomeini in 1979, wherein he declared the liberation of Quds ‘a religious duty of all Muslims.”
Imam Khomeini urged “Muslims all over the globe to observe the last Friday of Ramadan as Al-Quds Day, and to pledge support and solidarity to the people of Palestine and their legitimate rights.”
It also called on them and Muslim governments “to join hands and sever the hand of this usurper (Israel) and its supporters.”
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky has been in the forefront in observing the Quds Day which is well attended by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike on the last Friday of Ramadan for several decades now.
A statement signed the President of Media Forum of IMN, Mr. Ibrahim Musa on the eve of Quds Day also called on the Nigerian government to immediately and unconditionally release the revered leader of the IMN, His Eminence, Sheikh Zakzaky, who has been most active in this course of struggle for humanity and who in the past lost his children in the cause of this struggle for Palestinian freedom.
In another statement on Friday, Musa, said that their members marched to show their solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people and condemn “Israeli atrocities in occupied territories of Palestine”.
Musa sated that thousands of members of the IMN in Sokoto, Katsina and Potiskum started their peaceful processions in the morning before Friday prayers, where they followed the major streets chanting slogans in support of the Palestinian cause.
Musa said that with members of the Movement clad in white T-shirts with inscriptions “Free Sheikh Zakzaky”, Free Palestine” they also called for the immediate and unconditional release of the leader of the Movement who has been in detention since the Army attacked the center of the Movement in Zaria last December.
He said while addressing the protesters at the close of the event in Kaduna, Malam Aliyu Tirmizi who led the demonstration, warned against the importation of state terrorism by the Nigerian government from Israel as evident in what happened in Zaria last December.
He stated: “Even though prior to the Quds Day procession there was widespread apprehension that Nigerian Army will attack the protesters, it ended peacefully.
