Clerics Warn Nigerians Against Protests Amid Crisis

Sheikh Abdulrahman Ahmad, the Chief Imam of the Ansar Ud Deen Society of Nigeria, has issued a stern warning to Nigerians regarding participation in protests related to the Middle East crisis, particularly in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. During a Ramadan Tafsir Iftar program held in Lagos, he cautioned that good intentions alone cannot prevent protests from being hijacked by bad actors, leading to violence and destruction.

Ahmad referenced the October 2020 #EndSARS protests, which began as a legitimate campaign against police brutality but devolved into chaos, resulting in significant property damage and financial losses. He invoked the Islamic concept of "fitnah," warning that civil strife does not discriminate and can have widespread consequences.

Ahmad urged Nigerians to channel their energies into prayer rather than protests, especially during the Ramadan season, and warned of potential economic repercussions, including a sharp rise in fuel prices due to disruptions in global oil supply chains.