Two Nigerian lawmakers, Senator Abdul Ahmad Ningi (Bauchi Central) and Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), have received praise from the Islamic Movement in Nigeria for showing solidarity with the people of Palestine during Tuesday’s Senate plenary.
In a video that went viral after the session on October 7, 2025, Senator Abdul Ningi was seen wearing a black outfit and a white keffiyeh raising two fingers while chanting “Free Palestine.” Senator Aliero joined him saying, “Even though I don’t have a keffiyeh, I also say Free Palestine,” repeating the phrase several times in support of Palestinians.
In a statement signed by Sheikh Sidi Munir Mainasara of the Islamic Movement led by Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, the Islamic movement described the senators’ actions as “a commendable expression of conscience and justice.” It urged other lawmakers, regardless of faith, to follow their example and speak out against Israel’s continued attacks on innocent Palestinians.
The statement traced the Palestinian struggle to the 1917 Balfour Declaration and the 1948 Nakba, which displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. It said the occupation has lasted for more than a century, while global calls for justice continue to grow.
The movement added that since the early 1980s, followers of Sheikh Zakzaky have observed International Quds Day in Nigeria to show solidarity with Palestine, a global event initiated by Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979. It lamented that several Quds Day processions in Nigeria have been violently attacked by security forces, which led to the deaths of many participants, including three of Sheikh Zakzaky’s sons in 2014.
It also pointed to growing international condemnation of Israel’s actions and said countries such as Bolivia and Belize have cut or suspended ties with Israel, while Chile and Colombia recalled their ambassadors. The movement added that in June 2025, the United Nations General Assembly voted by a large majority to demand an end to Israel’s blockade of Gaza, open border crossings, and facilitate humanitarian aid access.
The Islamic Movement reiterated its stance, saying: “We reiterate our steady commitment to the defense of oppressed people everywhere and reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Palestine in their legitimate struggle for freedom and justice.”
The Islamic movement called on Nigerians to view the senators’ gesture not as a political act but as a moral stand for humanity and justice.
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