Nigeria must bring to justice the perpetrators of Zaria massacre

Speaking about the massacre of approximately one thousand people in Nigeria, Dr. Ali Akbar Velayati stated: "The news of the barbarian attack on Nigerian Muslims, which led to the killing and injury of a large number of believing and God-seeking people of the largest Islamic country in Africa, has created immense grief and sorrow for Muslims across the globe."

The senior advisor to Ayatollah Khamenei in International affairs brought up the killing of a large number of Muslims in Nigeria, including three sons of Nigerian Muslim leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, during a 2014 rally in support of Palestine on the international Quds day and further added: "The memory of the aggressive and violent measures as well as the barbaric killing of Muslims in Nigeria during the Quds Day rally in the month of Ramadan last year is still alive."

"The only sin these innocent protesters had committed," said Dr. Velayati, "was supporting Palestine and opposing the decades-long crimes of the Zionist regime and the occupation of Muslims' first Qiblah."

Dr. Velayati further cited that " Without a doubt, the massive 2015 Arbaeen procession--the yearly remembrance of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (pbuh), the grandson of the Holy Prophet of Islam--held by millions of the followers and lovers of the progeny of the Prophet (peace be upon them), provoked the Zionist regime and the Wahabbi aggressors (who are the survivors of the Umayyad caliphate in our time) to support an unprecedented and felonious attack on Muslims."

The senior advisor to Ayatollah Khamenei in international affairs expressed condolences to the families and the survivors of the agonizing disaster and said: "We pray for the health of the honorable scholar Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, the great leader of the Islamic Awakening movement in Nigeria and his respected family, as well as those wounded in this painful incident."

"Accordingly, all Muslims who are held in prison under medieval tortures must be released and we ask the Nigerian government to immediately prosecute, arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of this disaster for the barbaric crimes they have committed," he emphasized.

Dr. Velayati said: "We are certain that the blood of the martyrs of the recent disaster will bring greater insight and awareness among the general public and will also reinforce truth-seeking in the continent of Africa."

The senior advisor to Ayatollah Khamenei in international affairs added: "While the community of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky in Zaria is comprised of mostly Shia Nigerians, Sunni and Christian Nigerians were also dedicated to and joined his efforts to grow a peaceful, educated and dedicated network of persons who worked to bring stability to Nigeria."

Dr. Velayati said: "Because the efforts of Sheikh Zakzaky to reflect the true nature of Imam Hussein’s message, there is no conflict between the various schools of thought that make up the community, and they are able to work in unity and solidarity, despite their various religious practices."