The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has rejected allegations that it is backed by Iran to spread terrorism in Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview on Friday, Israel’s ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, accused the Iranian government of sponsoring Islamic movements in Nigeria and across West Africa as part of efforts to spread terror globally.
Freeman’s remarks came amid protests by members of the IMN, also known as Shi’ites, in several Nigerian states following the reported killing of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, during recent US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.
“We’ve seen Iran spreading terror. We’ve seen them developing a ballistic missile programme and a nuclear programme. Nigeria has been on the receiving end of terrorism from Iran,” the envoy said.
However, hours after Freeman’s comments, the IMN Media Forum dismissed the allegations, describing them as baseless and suggesting they could amount to “possible false-flag terrorism by the Israelis”.
In a statement shared with TheCable on Saturday, Ammar Rajab, chairman of the IMN Media Forum, criticised the envoy’s remarks.
“It is both inappropriate and unacceptable for the representative of a state widely accused of grave violations of international law to lecture others about terrorism or security,” Rajab said.
He added that Freeman’s claims were “not only a blatant falsehood but also a dangerous and failed attempt to incite tension and chaos among Muslims in Nigeria”.
Rajab further argued that the Islamic Movement is a principled movement built on an ideology that promotes justice and resistance against oppression.
“For more than five decades of Islamic activism in Nigeria, no court of law has ever convicted the Islamic Movement of terrorism or violent activity,” he said.
“At no point in our history have the adherents of the movement attacked any individual or organisation in the name of the movement.”
He urged the public to disregard what he described as “unfounded allegations.”
