The Media Forum of the Islamic movement strongly condemns and rejects the recent allegations made by the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, in which he attempted to associate Iran, and Islamic movement with terrorism and instability in the country and the West African region.
The Israeli ambassador’s false allegations against the Islamic movement should be viewed as an alarm for possible false-flag terrorism by the Israelis. It is both inappropriate and unacceptable for the representative of a state widely found guilty of committing genocide and grave violations of international laws to lecture others about terrorism or security.
The state the Ambassador represents is currently under global scrutiny for its actions in Gaza, where over 70,000 people have been killed in less than three years—more than 70% of them women and children. These atrocities are well documented by international organisations and human rights groups.
More importantly, the Prime Minister of that state Benjamin Nentanyahu has been declared wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). As a result, he reportedly avoids travelling to several countries, including many in Europe, for fear of arrest, as many nations have indicated their readiness to enforce the ICC’s order. It is therefore ironic that the representative of such a state seeks to label others as sponsors of terrorism.
The attempt by the Ambassador to associate the Islamic movement with terrorism is not only a blatant falsehood but also a dangerous and failed attempt to incite tension and chaos among Muslims in Nigeria. The Islamic movement is not an organisation but a principled movement built on an ideology and a concept that advocates justice and resistance against oppression.
For more than five decades of Islamic activism in Nigeria, no court of law has ever convicted the Islamic movement of terrorism or violent activity. At no point in our history have the adherents of the movement attacked any individual or organisation in the name of the movement. These baseless claims therefore exist only in the imagination of those seeking to demonise Muslims and silence legitimate voices of solidarity with oppressed people.
The adherents of the Islamic movement, like all citizens, have the constitutional right to express solidarity with any oppressed people anywhere in the world. Exercising this right cannot and should not be criminalised. Standing with the oppressed has always been part of the movement’s history and identity.
Historically, the Islamic movement has consistently spoken against injustice and oppression wherever they occur. Our solidarity with the Palestinian people and other oppressed communities around the world is rooted in moral conviction, humanitarian concern, and the universal principles of justice.
The Israeli Ambassador therefore has no moral standing to accuse others of violence while representing a state widely found guilty of committing grave atrocities against civilians in Palestinian lands. He should indeed burry himself in shame for failing to be human enough to the evil his government represents.
We call on the Nigerian public to disregard these unfounded allegations and remain vigilant against attempts to sow division, misinformation, and hostility among the people.
Signed:
Media Forum of the Islamic movement
Nigeria
6/3/2026
