A Muslim group has called for the unconditional release of a Palestinian resident in Nigeria who was recently arrested and detained.

The arrestee, Ramzy Abu Ibrahim, has resided in the country for more than three decades.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Ilorin, the group, also known as Al-Harakatul-Islamiyyah, alleged that the detention followed the prompting of Israel under the Nigeria-Israel Security and Intelligence Pact.

According to the Ameer (leader) of the group, Mallam Abdur-Razzaq Abdulwahab Al-Ameen Aladodo, his detention was allegedly prompted by Israel under the Nigeria-Israel Security and Intelligence Pact.

He expressed their “deep concern” over the development describing it as “unconstitutional, insensitive and provocative”.

He said the Palestinian has lived peacefully in Nigeria for about three and a half decades.

The group described the arrest as a violation of Nigeria’s sovereignty and accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of “serving the interest of war criminals in Tel Aviv” rather than addressing pressing domestic security concerns.

Al-Ameen warned that his arrest and detention could alienate Nigeria’s Muslim population.

“It is diplomatically disastrous and politically suicidal for the Tinubu government to jettison the interest of about 130 million Nigerian Muslims in order to serve the narrow interest of the genocidal, racist and Zionist regime in Israel,” he stated.

Recalling Nigeria’s support for South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, including the establishment of the South African Relief Fund (SARF) in 1976, the group argued that the Palestinian struggle is no different.

“There is no difference between South African freedom fighters and the current struggle of the Palestinians against the ethnic cleansing being perpetrated by the illegal state of Israel,” the Ameer declared.

The organisation urged Nigerians across religious and political divides to pressure the government into securing Abu Ibrahim’s release and to reconsider the pact with Israel.

The Muslim Ummah thanked Nigerians who have spoken against the detention and called for sustained public pressure until the demands are met.

Ramzy, a Palestinian-Nigerian, was allegedly picked from his residence in the Federal Capital Territory by men believed to be operatives of the Anti-Terrorism Squad of the Nigeria Police.

He has been at the forefront of mobilising support for Palestinians in Nigeria and intensified public commentary on the rising killings of journalists in Gaza by Israeli airstrikes. (Weekend Trust)