Iran Funds Nigerian Shiites to Export Terror,Charges Israeli Envoy

Israel’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, has leveled serious accusations against Iran, claiming Tehran funds and backs the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites, to foment terrorism beyond West Africa. In a Friday interview on Arise News, Freeman stated that Iran’s support for IMN is openly documented, including posts from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on X endorsing the group. He warned of Iran’s broader destabilization efforts across West Africa, tying them to Tehran’s global terror network involving Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

ADVERTISEMENT

Freeman highlighted Iran’s 47-year history of hostility toward Israel and the West, citing attacks in Argentina, Bulgaria, the UK, Australia, and Nigeria itself. He defended recent US-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, ballistic missiles, and regime targets as morally necessary to counter Tehran’s threats, noting Israel’s policy against being the first to introduce nuclear weapons in the region. The envoy condemned IMN protests in states like Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Niger, Gombe, Bauchi, and Yobe, where demonstrators waved Iranian flags, carried Khamenei’s portraits, and chanted against America and Israel following the strikes.

Iran’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Gholamreza Mahdavi Raja, swiftly rejected the allegations as “unfounded propaganda,” defending Tehran’s actions in the Gulf as retaliation against US and Israeli aggression. The Iranian embassy emphasized strong bilateral ties with Nigeria and dismissed claims of sponsoring extremism in the Sahel. Freeman closed by offering Israel’s partnership to Nigeria against terror spillovers, echoing Prime Minister Netanyahu’s commitment to joint counter-instability efforts.