A video circulating online has sparked outrage among Nigerians after showing a group of Muslims, including children and adults, raising the flag of Palestine while chanting Arabic prayers.
The clip, shared by Nnesome Wike’s aide, Leye Olayinka, claimed the incident took place in Iwo, Osun State. In his post, Olayinka wrote: “Na like this Maitatsine take start in Kano then. Boko Haram also started like this in Maiduguri.”
In the video, the group could be seen chanting “Free Palestine”, with a person resembling their cleric leading the prayers.
The clip has triggered strong reactions online. One user, @RegalJr_hi_sho, wrote: “They can support Palestinian people, but raising their flag and forming a parade is bad! Na like this Boko Haram and ISIS start.
Another, @EmmanuelAkind17, said: “If it was during the active days of @OfficialDSSNG, that man would have been arrested, including his enablers and funders. The sad thing is he’s indoctrinating young children and recruiting them as potential terrorists.”
@iyanuiyanuiyanu added: “The slow radicalization begins, right before our eyes. If Jackson does not act against that Iwo king, it’s only a matter of time before we see terror attacks in the South West.”
Other Nigerians also criticized the use of minors. @waleshabie730 wrote: “Using children for a mission they don’t understand is barbaric. These kids need to learn to pay allegiance to Nigeria, not other countries. This is brainwashing. Our Senate should introduce stringent laws to deal with this.”
Some commentators compared the incident to similar international situations. One wrote: “It’s like telling the West that Nigeria is Boko Haram because a white man raised the Nigerian flag in the UK.”
