Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiites, took to the streets of Kano on November 8 to protest against recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened military intervention in Nigeria.
The demonstrators marched across major roads in Kano city, carrying placards and banners rejecting Trump’s claim that Christians in Nigeria were being targeted in a genocide.
Some protesters were seen dragging the American flag on the ground, while others displayed effigies of the U.S. president.
Trump who had previously designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” citing alleged persecution of Christians by terrorist groups.
He warned that if the Nigerian government failed to act, the U.S. might deploy troops and instructed the U.S. Department of War to prepare a potential military action plan.
In response, the IMN dismissed Trump’s comments as false and provocative, describing the claims as “inflammatory and dangerous,” while accusing Western nations of using propaganda to create religious division in Nigeria.
The protesters emphasized that their group has always promoted unity and peaceful coexistence, arguing that Nigeria’s challenges stem from corruption and political greed, not religion.
However, the allegations have sparked mixed reactions across the country, with some Nigerians supporting Trump’s concerns over insecurity, while others condemn his remarks as an attempt to interfere in Nigeria’s internal affairs.