Supporters of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), under the leadership of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and widely identified as Shiites, staged a protest in Niger State on Sunday following reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed.
According to multiple reports, the alleged assassination occurred during coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel targeting Iran.
The reports sparked anger among IMN members, who condemned the alleged attack as what they termed “global injustice and imperial aggression.”
A video obtained by First Daily correspondent on Sunday shows hundreds of IMN members mobilising 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 cited by our correspondent expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Khamene’i, while pledging unwavering support for the Iranian people.
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“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.