By Zailani Mustapha The Islamic movement, under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Yaqoub Zakzaky, successfully organised the 2025 Interna...
By Zailani Mustapha
The Islamic movement, under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Yaqoub Zakzaky, successfully organised the 2025 International Quds Day protest in over 30 cities across the country.
The annual event, held in solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine, witnessed mass participation in major cities and towns including Abuja, Zaria, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Jos, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Lagos, Enugu, Kogi, Zamfara, Niger, Gombe, Potiskum, Yola, Kontagora, Azare, Darazo, Danja, Jidawa, Mashi, Zuru, Illela, Jalingo, Batsari, Daura, Birnin Kebbi, Yawuri, Dukku, Saminaka, Kafanchan, Dutsin-Ma, and Hadejia, among others.
This year’s protest, which took place on the 28th of Ramadan 1446 (March 28, 2025), reaffirmed the movement’s unfluctuating support for the Palestinian cause.
Thousands of demonstrators, including men, women, and youths, marched peacefully, chanting slogans such as "Free Palestine" and "End Israeli Atrocities." Protesters carried placards bearing messages like "We Are All Palestine" and "Stop the Genocide in Gaza."
The International Quds Day, first declared by the leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Ayatollah Khomeini in 1980, has since become a global movement advocating for the rights of Palestinians against decades of Israeli occupation and aggression. Similar demonstrations were held in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Canada, France, Australia, and across the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Despite the peaceful nature of the protests nationwide, the event in Abuja was violently disrupted by the Nigerian Army (Guard Brigade), leading to tragic casualties.
Security forces opened fire on demonstrators at Bannex Plaza, killing over 20 people, injuring many others, and unlawfully arresting more than 200 protesters.
Witnesses confirmed that live rounds were used against unarmed demonstrators, a clear violation of fundamental human rights.
Prior to the event, a misleading security report from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) attempted to portray the planned commemoration as a security threat. The Islamic movement condemns this false narrative as a deliberate attempt to suppress a legitimate, non-violent protest while serving foreign interests, particularly those of the United States and Israel.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has intensified its military assault on Gaza, dropping over 100,000 bombs, killing at least 50,000 Palestinians, and leaving over 90,000—mostly children—severely injured. Nearly 90% of homes in Gaza have been reduced to rubble, with places of worship, schools, hospitals, and markets deliberately targeted.
The Islamic movement strongly denounces the brutality against innocent Palestinians and urges the international community to take immediate action against the ongoing genocide.
The movement also demands the immediate release of those arrested in Abuja and calls on the Nigerian government to respect the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, as enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution and international human rights laws.
The International Quds Day protest remains a significant symbol of global resistance against oppression, and the Islamic movement reaffirms its commitment to standing with the Palestinian people.
We urge all people of conscience, irrespective of religion or nationality, to continue voicing their support for justice and humanity.
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