In Nigeria, the Islamic Movement (IMN) or Shiites “has strongly condemned the provocative airstrike”, ordered by US President Donald Trump.
The airstrike led to the death of Iranian top General and Guards Commander, Quaseem Soleimani and Iraqi Commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Nigerian Police have been placed on a heightened state since the incident.
The Shia sect in Nigeria, led by the jailed Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, pledges allegiance to Iran.
In a statement released over the weekend and signed by its spokesperson Ibrahim Musa, IMN said it “received the very sad news of the killing of Soleimani. We strongly condemn this provocative air strike ordered by President Trump.”
It added that the US killing of Soleimani is a “declaration of war on Iran, which has now dangerously made the world on the edge of a very destructive war. For quite some time now, President Trump has been looking for ways to drag the Iranian nation to a senseless war.”
IMN vowed that the crime will be avenged by “Hajj Qassem’s brothers, children, and students from resistance men and mujahideen from all the peoples of the world that reject humiliation and submission to the tyrants of this century.”
Soleimani masterminded Iran’s regional strategy for more than 20 years. He led Iranian overseas operations, building military and political alliances that allowed Iran to wield greater clout in the region.
The Iranian government announced Sunday it would no longer abide by the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, lifting restrictions on centrifuges, uranium enrichment and more. President Trump pulled the US out of the deal in 2018.
The Iraqi Parliament approved a resolution calling on the government to expel some 5,000 US troops from the country. President Trump said Sunday “we are not leaving unless they pay us back” for an air base in Iraq.
President DonaldTrump said Sunday that his administration “may discuss” releasing the intelligence on Soleimani.