Amid the escalating crisis between Israel and Hamas, Muslim groups in Lagos united for a peaceful procession, urging an immediate ceasefire. They also offered prayers for enduring peace in the Middle East.
Abdulwaheed Atoyebi, the Director of Muslim Awareness International (MAI), appealed to the international community to uphold previous United Nations agreements on the matter. Atoyebi lamented that the UN Resolution of 1947, which granted independence to both Israel and Palestine, hasn’t been realised.
Humanitarian Crisis
Contributing to the discourse, the Amir (President) of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, Mr Kamoldeen Abiona said “the current situation in Palestine demands urgent attention and action“.
He added, “the indiscriminate attacks on Gaza have resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis, with thousands of innocent civilians, including women and children, losing their lives or suffering severe injuries.”
“The destruction of crucial civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and residential buildings, further exacerbates the already dire living conditions for Palestinians.”
Hamas Provoked
Atoyebi pointed out that the illegal occupation of Gaza and the repeated intimidation of Palestinians by Israeli forces may have provoked Hamas to respond. He called on the Nigerian government to take sincere steps to end the crisis and expressed solidarity with Palestine.
Human Rights Violation
Tajudeen Balogun, a legal practitioner, added that it’s disheartening that 225 resolutions have been passed on the crisis without implementation, contrasting this with the situation in Iraq, where the U.S. claimed weapons of mass destruction but found none.
Balogun emphasised that the events in Gaza over the past 75 years amount to a violation of human rights.
