Nigerian Civic Groups Demand Release of Palestinian Leaders Amid Middle East Tensions

A coalition of Nigerian civil society groups, including WorkBond International Network and United Action for Democracy, has condemned the arrest of Palestinian community leader Ramzy Abu Ibrahim and others by Nigerian security forces, calling for their immediate and unconditional release. The groups argue that these arrests violate fundamental human rights and due process, and warn against Nigeria being drawn into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially following a recent security and intelligence agreement between Nigeria and Israel. They describe the conflict as an 'Imperial, Neo Colonial Colony, Proxy Imbroglio' and emphasize that Nigeria, grappling with internal economic and security challenges, must not become a proxy or errand tool in foreign disputes. The coalition insists that advocacy for Palestinian rights is not a crime and urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to uphold Nigeria's constitutional principles and avoid entanglement in the Middle East crisis. Additionally, the groups staged peaceful protests to highlight the risks of Nigeria's involvement and the repression of dissent. Separately, in the U.S., advocacy groups and lawmakers are pressing the Trump administration to seek the release of Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian American detained by Israel, underscoring broader concerns about Palestinian rights and U.S. foreign policy.