Millions of people have attended the
International Quds day marches organised by the Islamic Movement of
Nigeria (IMN) known as Shias, across various cities of the country
unmolested, contrary to fears expressed in some quarters that they may
be stopped by security agencies.
The President of Media Forum of IMN, Mr.
Ibrahim Musa, in a statement yesterday, said that their members marched
to show their solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people and
condemn what he described as “Israeli atrocities in occupied territories
of Palestine”.
Musa stated that “thousands of Members
of the IMN in Sokoto, Katsina and Potiskum started their peaceful
procession in the morning before Friday prayers, where they followed the
major streets chanting slogans in support of the Palestinian course”.
In Katsina, he said, Sheikh Yaqoub
Yahya addressed the mammoth crowd that participated in the march,
calling on the international community to sever the hands of Israeli
usurpers in Palestine.
He said that in Sokoto, it was Sheikh
Qasim Umar that 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.
However, he stated, the Quds Day marches
were held after Friday prayers in many other cities like Kaduna, Zaria,
Kano, Bauchi, Yola, Lafia, Gombe and Jalingo.
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 wide spread apprehension that Nigerian
Army will attack the protesters, it ended peacefully.
“Soldiers were sighted in Katsina and Sokoto during the marches, however they did not make any effort to disperse the protest.”
Musa said that during the marches,
public statement was issued and distributed to bystanders, signed by
Sheikh Abdulhamid Bello, part of which read: “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.’
“I invite 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. I
ask all the Muslims of the world and the Muslim governments to join
hands and sever the hand of this usurper and its supporters,’ said
Ayatollah Khomeini of blessed memory”.
The statement further read: “In
conclusion, as we demand for the complete and unconditional withdrawal
from all Israeli occupied territories including Jerusalem, acknowledging
and facilitating the return of the Palestinians who were forced to
leave their land after 1948 Nakab, compensation for the damage of land
and property, and ban on the building of new settlements and immediate
evacuation of all existing settlements; we also call for the
unconditional release of our Leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, and all
other members of the Islamic Movement languishing in detention centers
across the country.”
0 comments:
Post a Comment