Middle East Crisis: Don’t Join Protests You Don’t Understand, Clerics Warn Nigerians
By Momodu Favour
Islamic clerics in Lagos State have warned Nigerians against participating in protests over international conflicts they do not fully understand, cautioning that such demonstrations could easily be hijacked by individuals seeking to cause violence and destruction.
The warning was issued by the League of Chief Imams during the 2026 Ramadan Tafsir and Iftar programme held at Lagos House.
Speaking at the event, the National Missioner and Chief Imam of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Abdulrahman Ahmad, urged Nigerians to refrain from joining protests whose background and implications they do not clearly understand.
The cleric’s remarks came amid recent demonstrations in Lagos by members of the South-West chapter of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, who protested in solidarity with Iran following the reported killing of its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, during strikes allegedly carried out by the United States and Israel.
According to a statement issued by the Lagos State Government on Wednesday, the clerics expressed concern that Nigeria could be drawn into a foreign conflict through protests and unrest.
“Don’t join a protest that you don’t know anything about. Remember that the country is still dealing with the effect of EndSARS protests. Don’t cause disruption. Your intention may be pure, may be good, but do you know about the next person who will hide under that and cause mayhem and cause destruction?” Ahmad said.
The cleric referenced the EndSARS protests of October 2020, noting that although the demonstrations began as a legitimate movement against police brutality, they were eventually hijacked by hoodlums who destroyed public and private property in several parts of the country.
He warned that a similar situation could occur if protests linked to the Middle East crisis escalate.
“We are not happy that our brothers and fellow human beings have been attacked on a daily basis, but then, if we cannot be part of the solution, we should not be part of the problem,” he said.
Ahmad also invoked the Islamic concept of fitnah civil strife or chaos cautioning that once unrest begins, it affects both those responsible and innocent citizens.
“Beware of fitnah; when it happens, it will not only affect those who are responsible for it, but it will also affect all of us. The crisis in the Middle East is fitnah. This is a time for prayer, a time to be part of peace; this is not a time for protest and demonstration,” he said.
The cleric further warned that the ongoing crisis in the Middle East could have economic consequences for Nigeria, particularly through rising global oil prices that may push the cost of petrol significantly higher.
“I told the congregation they should prepare for an increase in fuel prices. Chances are that it could even hit N2,000 per litre,” he warned.
The League also called on religious leaders to use their platforms responsibly during the Ramadan and Lent seasons by promoting peace, unity and national stability rather than messages that could inflame tensions.
Ahmad urged Nigerians to channel their concerns into prayers for victims of the Middle East conflict and for peace and stability in Nigeria, stressing that protests over overseas crises could easily spiral beyond control if not carefully handled.
