Dare Babalola
Prominent Lagos Islamic clerics have called on Nigerians to remain calm and avoid participating in protests they are not fully informed about, amid rising tensions between the US, Iran, and Israel.
The clerics cautioned Nigerians, particularly Lagos residents, against protests, dissent, or actions that could undermine peaceful coexistence in the country, citing the ongoing Middle East crisis.
They warned that good intentions alone are not enough to prevent malicious elements from hijacking demonstrations and causing violence and destruction.
The League of Chief Imams, speaking through the National Missioner and Chief Imam of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdulrahman Ahmad, issued the stern warning at the 2026 Ramadan Tafsir/Iftar programme held at Lagos House, Ikeja on Tuesday Night.
According to a statement by the Lagos State Government on Wednesday, the clerics directed their message particularly at Nigerians who had taken to the streets in solidarity with Iran following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during United States-Israeli strikes, warning that Nigeria must not be dragged into a war that was not its own.
The position of the Chief Imams was a reaction to the protest staged in some parts of the country, particularly by members of the South-West chapter of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria on Monday in Lagos, over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, during recent United States-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Also, on Tuesday, members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, popularly known as Shi’ites, staged a peaceful protest in Potiskum and Nguru Local Government Areas of Yobe State, condemning the killing of Khamenei, whom they described as a revered spiritual leader.
Protesters marched through the towns carrying Iranian flags and large portraits of Khamenei, chanting slogans expressing solidarity with Iran and opposition to what they termed foreign interference.
Sheikh Ahmad called for calm and restraint, warning that Nigeria must not allow global events to trigger local unrest.
He said that Ramadan and Lent periods should be used to pray for the continuous peace of Lagos and Nigeria rather than embarking on protests or any form of disaffection over the Middle East crisis, noting that any form of demonstration or protest should be disallowed.
The Islamic cleric noted that Nigeria is also affected by current global happenings; hence, the need for reflection, solution-solving and constant prayers for the government to succeed at both the state and federal levels.
Sheikh Ahmad said, “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. This is not a time for insults. This is not a time for upheavals. It is a time of sober reflection.
“Allah has warned us to beware of a calamity that, when it happens, will not just affect those who are responsible for it. And at the moment, it is affecting all of us. How may it go? I told the congregation they should prepare for an increase in fuel prices.
“And today, if you have refilled your vehicle’s tank, you will know how much petrol is being sold per litre. Chances are that it could even go further. It could even hit N2,000 per litre. It may even be worse than that, except we face it with prayer.”
While expressing sadness over the loss of lives and destruction of property in the ongoing Middle East crisis, Sheikh Ahmad said that if citizens cannot be part of the solution, they should not become part of the problem.
He also warned against propaganda and being drawn into conflicts that do not directly concern the nation, urging Nigerians to pray for those affected in the Middle East as well as for peace and stability at home.
Sheikh Ahmad cited the devastating impact of the 2020 EndSARS protests in Lagos and across Nigeria, noting that the state and country are still recovering and cannot withstand further turmoil.
“We are not happy that our brothers and fellow human beings have been attacked daily, but then, if we cannot be part of the solution, we should not be part of the problem. Don’t join a protest that you don’t know anything about. Remember that the country is still dealing with the effects 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 destruction? That is why we have come to appeal to all of us that we should be part of the solution, not a part of the problem,” he said
The League of Chief Imams also implored Nigerians to embrace unity, responsibility and spiritual reflection, praying that the sanctity of the month of Ramadan would bring relief and peace to the world.
They also urged clerics to use their respective altars to preach against disaffection, confusion and any form of protest and allow peace to thrive across the land.
