Thousands of individuals from diverse backgrounds united in Lagos yesterday for a mega rally advocating for justice in Palestine and an immediate halt to the continuous bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces.
The rally, organized by the Conference of Islamic Organizations (CIO), drew participants from various Muslim organizations, civil society groups, students, and Islamic scholars hailing from across the country. Among those lending their support from the human rights community was Amnesty International’s (AI) Nigeria representative, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani.
Protesters at the rally carried placards and banners emblazoned with poignant slogans such as “Nigeria Unites for Palestine,” “Support Freedom and Justice for the Palestinian Nation,” “Stop Killing Innocent Women and Children,” and “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Would Be Free.”
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The demonstrators demanded an end to the siege in Gaza and denounced what they termed “Israel’s Apartheid against Palestinians,” describing it as a “Crime against Humanity.” One banner boldly proclaimed, “Our Freedom is not Complete without Freedom.”
The event, known as the “50,000 Man March” in solidarity with Palestine, featured a clear call to the Federal Government of Nigeria to suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel until a two-state resolution is achieved.
The Dean of the Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Usman Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto, and an advisor to the vice chancellor of Afro-Asian University in Somalia, Professor Isa Maishanu, read a 14-point resolution on behalf of Nigerian Muslims present at the rally.
The resolution urged the international community, led by the United Nations, to exert pressure on Israel to cease its bombardment of Gaza and other Palestinian territories.
Addressing the issue of international support for Israel, Professor Maishanu stated, “We consider as irresponsible, reprehensible, and barbaric, the show of support by the duo of the United States and the European Union for Israel, and we hold them complicit and culpable in this human tragedy happening before the global audience.”
The group clarified its stance on Hamas, asserting that it is not a terrorist organization but an elected representative of the Palestinian people engaged in armed resistance against an occupying force, in accordance with international law and the principles of rationality and necessity.
The General Secretary of the CIO, Lukman Balogun, emphasized the rally’s core message, saying, “We are here today because we are human with conscience. It is binding on us to support the oppressed, whether Muslims or non-Muslims. But when the oppressed are Muslims, it is our religious duty to support them.”
The mega rally in Lagos serves as a striking example of the global solidarity movements advocating for peace and justice in Palestine. The voices of those in attendance echoed a shared call for an end to the suffering and a path towards a peaceful resolution to the longstanding conflict.