Thousands of members of a pro-Iranian Shia group marched through northern Nigerian cities Sunday, protesting the killing of Iran’s supreme leader. The Islamic Movement in Nigeria displayed Iranian flags and portraits of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ruhollah Khomeini, and Shia leader Ibrahim Zakzaky. In Kano, protesters walked five kilometres from a mosque in Fagge to the IMN headquarters in the Goron Dutse neighbourhood.
They condemned the United States and Israel for what they described as “unprovoked” attacks, chanting “death to America and Israel” in the streets. Some participants carried Palestinian flags while chanting “Allahu Akbar,” calling for an end to Western interference in the Middle East.
Protest leader Umar Yakubu criticised the US and Israel for launching attacks in the middle of ongoing negotiations, calling them insincere. IMN advocates for an Iranian-style Islamic revolution in Nigeria and has frequently clashed with authorities over its political and religious stance.
Yakubu urged supporters to remain peaceful and follow the guidance of their leader Zakzaky, who resides in the capital, Abuja. The group’s tensions with the Nigerian government date back to December 2015, when a military raid on Zakzaky’s home killed around 350 followers.
The 2015 raid followed the blocking of a military convoy during a religious ceremony outside the group’s headquarters in Zaria city. Despite past violence, Sunday’s demonstrations remained largely orderly, with participants emphasising mourning and political solidarity rather than confrontation.