Nigerian Youths Travelling To Iran For Study Are Recruited Into Terrorism – Students Alerts Fg
SAN FRANCISCO, October 26, (THEWILL) – Some young Nigerians under the aegis of African Students in Cyprus, has called on the Federal Government to stop Nigerian youths from travelling to Iran to study, warning that Nigeria faces future security risk if Nigerian youths are continually allowed to travel to countries where they end up being recruited into terrorism.
President of the students' body, Jeremiah Omadachi, who stated this in a statement mailed to newsmen after a peaceful protest at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus, against the activities of Iran in Nigeria, disclosed that there were indications that Nigerian students were getting military training provided by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
He revealed that some youths from the country who travel to Iran under the guise of studying were shipped off to other countries such as Yemen and Somalia, where they are recruited into terrorism.
His words: “As Africans living here in Cyprus, we have followed events in Nigeria and must confess that we have great concerns about the growing sectarian division there. The names of several sects are coming up in the daily accounts being rendered online but the name of Shiite sect; the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has remained constant.
“We are aware through contacts with other communities and nationals here that the cover that IMN and Iran use is to make youths pretend they are travelling to get education.
“The frightening reality however is that young Nigerians that travel to Iran end up being radicalised and indoctrinated into extremism. There has been indications that they are also getting military training provided by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.”
The students informed the Nigerian government and Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the threat of radicalisation posed by Ibrahim El-Zakzakky's IMN was real and should not be taken for granted by the country.
Recall that some Nigerians living in the United States, U.S, had advised the Nigerian government to immediately prosecute detained leader of the Shi'ite movement, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, stressing that another terrorist group may break out of the movement if they are not stopped now.
In a protest staged at the United Nations Building and the Nigeria House, New York City, they said El-Zakzaky's prosecution will serve as deterrent to similar group.
Omadachi went on to call on the government and other African leaders to do everything possible to prevent Iran from expanding the Middle East crisis to Africa by using IMN as a front.
He stressed that the Islamic Republic must be told in very clear terms that it should sort out its problems with its regional neighbours and not attempt opening a new front in its war of attrition in Nigeria.
Story by Ugonnabo Ngwu.