DID Press: The Islamic Movement in Nigeria announced that Ashura commemorations were held peacefully across dozens of cities in Nigeria and in the Nigerien capital, with large numbers of mourners participating and no security incidents reported.
According to a statement issued by the movement led by Ibrahim Zakzaky, Ashura ceremonies took place in multiple Nigerian states as well as in Niamey, attracting significant participation from Shiite communities in an orderly and peaceful atmosphere.
The statement said commemorations were organized in the states of Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, Adamawa, Yobe, Borno, Kogi and Lagos, highlighting the continued spread of Ashura traditions and their importance among Shiite communities in West Africa.
The movement also reported distributing a statement titled “Ashura: The Voice of Resistance Against Oppression in Every Era” among participants. The document stressed that the uprising of Imam Hussein was not aimed at acquiring political power, but at safeguarding the core values of Islam and confronting injustice and deviation, a message that continues to inspire advocates of freedom and justice worldwide.
The statement further called on people to draw inspiration from Ashura by promoting justice, defending human dignity and resisting oppression and tyranny.
In previous years, similar Ashura gatherings in Nigeria had at times faced restrictions and confrontations with security forces.