The tremors of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran have officially reached Nigeria. In a fiery appearance on AriseTV, Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria Michael Freeman issued a grave warning of Iran’s alleged sponsorship of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN). Freeman claimed that the group, often referred to as Shi’ites, is being utilized by Iran to spread instability and terror far beyond the borders of the Middle East.
Pro-Iran Protests Rock Nigerian Cities
The ambassador’s comments follow a wave of massive demonstrations across Nigeria. Protesters in Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Gombe were seen carrying portraits of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and waving Iranian flags in a show of defiance against recent U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran.
Freeman described Iran’s hostility toward the West as a “global threat,” citing its support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah as a blueprint for its operations in Nigeria.
Iranian Ambassador Mahdavi Raja struck back, defending Tehran’s missile strikes in the Gulf as legitimate “retaliatory measures” against what he termed illegal U.S. and Israeli operations.
Israel Offers Military Partnership to Abuja
Israel has signaled its readiness to intervene. Freeman reiterated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance, stating that Israel is “willing and eager” to partner with the Nigerian government to tackle instability according to its specific needs.
This offer of military and intelligence cooperation comes as the IMN continues to express solidarity with the “Axis of Resistance.” With the IMN’s presence established in key northern states and the commercial hub of Lagos, the Nigerian government now finds itself at a delicate crossroads: managing domestic religious sensitivities while navigating a high-stakes international conflict.
A Global Fallout in West Africa
The diplomatic row in Abuja underscores how the “existential war” for Iran is forcing African nations to take sides.
While Nigeria has traditionally sought a balanced foreign policy, the presence of ballistic missile technology and nuclear ambitions in Iran’s portfolio, as highlighted by Freeman, has raised the stakes for regional security. As the air war in the Middle East intensifies, the question for Nigeria is no longer if the conflict will arrive, but how deep the Iranian-backed “Shi’ite” influence truly goes.
