Why it matters:
Zakzaky’s remarks highlight the persistent global solidarity with Palestine from Islamic movements, even in the face of severe state-led crackdowns, mass arrests, and international silence on the Gaza crisis.
What he's saying:
In an exclusive interview with Iran Press, Sheikh Zakzaky declared that “no amount of massacre” would deter his movement from supporting Palestine or holding Quds Day rallies. He condemned the use of starvation as a genocidal tool by the Zionist regime and criticized Western and Arab leaders for enabling the siege on Gaza through their silence and inaction.
“We give the murderers one challenge,” Zakzaky said. “We will never stop Quds Day. We will never stop showing solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians even if they attack us. We will continue to come out.”
Zakzaky also expressed outrage over the continued detention of 185 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigerian prisons, including 12 women, and the state’s refusal to return at least 21 bodies of protesters killed in the 2024 Quds Day procession for proper Islamic burial.
Key points:
- At least 21 protesters killed in the 2024 Quds Day rally have not been released for burial.
- 173 men and 12 women from the Islamic Movement remain imprisoned without due process.
Go deeper:
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, led by Sheikh Zakzaky, has long organized Quds Day rallies in solidarity with Palestinians. These marches have often ended in deadly crackdowns by Nigerian security forces. The 2014 massacre, which Zakzaky was commemorating in the interview, marked one of the deadliest incidents, triggering ongoing tension between the state and the Movement. Meanwhile, in Gaza, humanitarian agencies warn that famine is being weaponized, with aid convoys regularly blocked and civilians targeted while collecting food.
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