Prominent Islamic clerics in Lagos have cautioned Nigerians against participating in protests they do not fully understand, warning that such demonstrations could be hijacked by troublemakers and spiral into violence.
The warning was delivered by the League of Chief Imams through the National Missioner and Chief Imam of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdulrahman Ahmad, during the 2026 Ramadan Tafsir/Iftar held at Lagos House, Ikeja.
According to a statement by the Lagos State Government, the clerics were reacting to recent protests staged in solidarity with Iran following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, during United States-Israeli strikes. They stressed that Nigeria must not be drawn into a foreign conflict.
Members of the South-West chapter of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria had taken to the streets in Lagos earlier in the week, prompting concerns over the potential for unrest.
Addressing government officials, Islamic scholars and Muslim faithful at the event, Sheikh Ahmad urged restraint.
“Do not join a protest you know nothing about,” he said. “Your intentions may be good, but you cannot predict who may exploit the situation to cause destruction.”
He referenced the October 2020 EndSARS protests, which began as demonstrations against police brutality but were later hijacked by hoodlums, leading to widespread destruction of public and private property across several states.
Sheikh Ahmad warned that a repeat of such violence, especially over an overseas crisis, would be disastrous.
“We sympathise with those affected by the attacks, but if we cannot be part of the solution, we must not become part of the problem,” he said.
Invoking the Islamic concept of *fitnah* (civil strife), the cleric cautioned that unrest, once ignited, spares no one.
“When calamity strikes, it does not only affect those responsible; it affects everyone. This is a time for prayer and reflection, not protests, insults or upheaval,” he added.
Beyond security concerns, the cleric also warned of possible economic repercussions from the Middle East crisis, particularly disruptions to global oil supply chains that could drive up fuel prices in Nigeria.
He urged Nigerians to brace for potential increases in petrol prices, noting that the situation could worsen if global tensions escalate.
The League further called on religious leaders to use their platforms responsibly during Ramadan and Lent, encouraging messages of peace and unity rather than rhetoric that could inflame tensions.
Sheikh Ahmad concluded by urging Nigerians to channel their concerns into prayers for both the victims of the Middle East conflict and for peace and stability within Nigeria.
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