Dozens of IMN members mobilised shortly after news of Khamenei’s alleged death filtered through social media channels.
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), led by Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and popularly known as Shiites, took to the streets of Niger State on Sunday to protest reports of the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in coordinated United States–Israel strikes on Iran.
The development, which has not been independently verified by international authorities as of press time, triggered immediate outrage among followers of the Shi’a cleric, who described the reported killing as an act of “global injustice and imperial aggression.”
Dozens of IMN members mobilised shortly after news of Khamenei’s alleged death filtered through social media channels.
The protesters marched through parts of the state chanting solidarity slogans and waving Iranianflags and placards bearing inscriptions such as “We Stand With Iran,” “Free Iran,” and other anti-US and anti-Israel messages.
The movement, in a statement circulated among supporters, expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Khamene’i, while pledging unwavering support for the Iranian people.
“We strongly condemn the United States–Israel aggression against Iran. The blood of martyrs will not be shed in vain,” part of the statement read.
Chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” echoed during the procession, as demonstrators vowed continued resistance against what they termed Western interference in Middle Eastern affairs.
The protest highlights the longstanding ideological alignment between IMN members and the Iranian government, a relationship that has frequently drawn scrutiny from Nigerian authorities.
The group has historically organised demonstrations in solidarity with Iranian causes and has repeatedly criticised US and Israeli foreign policies.
