Civil society groups in Nigeria have demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Palestinian leader Ramzy Abu Ibrahim and other detained members of the Palestinian community.
They warned that the arrests were a violation of fundamental rights and could drag Nigeria into the Middle East conflict.
In a joint statement signed by Omotaje Olawale Saint of WorkBond International Network (WIN) and Kunle Ajayi Wizeman of United Action for Democracy (UAD), on behalf of a coalition of civic groups including WIN, UAD, All Workers Convergence, Lagos State Liberation Congress, and the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights, the organisations said Abu Ibrahim’s arrest was directly connected to his activism against Israeli actions in Gaza.
The coalition further noted that the detention came at the same time Nigeria entered into a security and intelligence pact with Israel a development they described as “deeply troubling.”
They urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to resist becoming a proxy in the Israel–Palestine conflict, stressing that Nigeria must remain independent and uphold its constitutional principles.
“Fragile Nigerian state cannot afford to toy with fire,” the groups declared. “Nigeria can ill afford being dragged willy- nilly into the Middle East burning crisis.
“It is apposite to note that we are battling with a battered economy, fragile security, farmers/herders’ clashes, and orgies of social vices. Nigeria cannot blindly be deployed as a proxy, errand tool in Israel vs Palestine belligerences!”
According to them, Nigeria’s fragile economy and worsening insecurity make it ill-prepared to dabble in foreign conflicts, and doing so would risk further destabilisation.
The coalition, which also included Yoruba Youth Assembly, Centre for Human Rights Advocacy, Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence, and Youth Initiative Agenda for Democratic Process, described Abu Ibrahim as a prominent advocate who has consistently spoken against attacks on civilians in Gaza and the killing of journalists.
“Without mincing words, it beckons on us all and persons of good conscience to rally round the obviously underdog in the Middle East tussle,” the statement added.
This, they said, was a call for solidarity with Palestinians who they described as long-time victims of oppression.
The groups went further to affirm their collective stance: “Advocacy for the rights of Palestinians is not a crime.”
They insisted that activism and solidarity cannot be criminalised in Nigeria.
“Nigeria must not allow itself to become a tool of external powers in silencing dissent,” the statement said.
Here, they warned that foreign interests should not dictate the use of Nigeria’s security agencies.
“The detention of Abu Ibrahim and other Palestinian community leaders is an assault on freedom of expression, association, and human rights,” it said.
They stressed that the arrests violated both Nigeria’s constitution and international conventions to which the country is a party.
“We call for a ‘Two-Nation State’ solution to the Middle East dilemma of the double face of the same coin of our collective humanity,” it said.
The groups explained that this was the only path to a just and lasting peace.
Their demands also included a call on the Nigerian government to respect the rights of Palestinians in Nigeria, ensuring they are not subjected to harassment, humiliation, or political repression.
They further urged Tinubu’s administration to review and reconsider any agreements with Israel that compromise Nigeria’s independence.
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