03 Apr 2024 | 11:28 AM UTC
Nigeria: Islamic Movement of Nigeria members likely to protest in Abuja and elsewhere on April 5
Islamic Movement of Nigeria supporters likely to protest in Abuja and elsewhere on April 5. Potential for violence elevated.
Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) supporters will likely gather to protest during Quds Day, falling on April 5. Quds Day is held on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to express support for the Palestinian cause and denounce Israeli actions. Likely gathering locations include Abuja, Kano (Kano State), and Kaduna and Zaria (Kaduna State). Activists may gather elsewhere in the country, notably in northern Nigeria.
Increased security and localized traffic disruptions are likely near all related protests that may occur. Given the history of confrontations between security forces and the IMN, the potential for clashes with security forces is elevated.
Avoid all protests. Plan for localized road travel delays should protests occur. If crowds form or clashes occur nearby, leave the area immediately. Do not drive through roadblocks. Heed instructions from authorities. Refrain from discussing topics in public related to the situation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
The IMN is a Shi'a religious group that was founded in the 1970s and inspired by the Iranian Revolution. The Nigerian government banned IMN activities in 2019, but the organization still operates, mainly in Abuja and in northern Nigeria. In recent years, IMN confrontations with security forces have turned violent, sometimes leading to dozens of casualties, including in Zaria in 2014 and 2015. More recently, clashes opposing police forces and protesters left one participant dead during a pro-Palestinian gathering organized by the IMN in the northern city of Kaduna in September.
