Thousands of Muslim faithful and pro-Palestine advocates on Friday, September 5, 2025, gathered at the Da’wah Centre, Apapa–Oshodi Expressway, Ijesha, Lagos, to mark Aqsa Day 2025 with prayers, lectures and a solidarity march calling for an end to the war in Gaza.

The event, organised by the Muslim Awareness International (MAI) and themed “Stop Gaza Genocide,” coincided with the Mawlid Nabiyy public holiday and brought together clerics, activists and worshippers who condemned Israel’s assault on Gaza and urged global support for Palestine.

In his Khutbah, Lead Consultant at AS & Associates, Dr. Abdullahi Shuaib, described the Gaza conflict as a genocidal campaign and criticised the United Nations for failing to protect Palestinians.

He accused the United States and the United Kingdom of sustaining Israel and urged Muslims to speak out, describing silence as complicity. He ended with prayers for divine intervention and liberation of Masjid Al-Aqsa.

Earlier, MAI Director, Mallam Abdul Waheed Atoyebi, described the devastation in Gaza as unprecedented, saying more than 60,000 people had been killed and 125,000 injured since October 2023.

He called for unconditional recognition of Palestine, a ceasefire, sanctions on Israel, humanitarian access to Gaza, boycott of Israeli products and severance of diplomatic ties.

Ustadh Abdul Shakur Yekini cautioned the Nigerian government against entering military partnerships with Israel, warning that such ties deepen political dependence and should only be considered if Israel ends what he described as genocide in Gaza.

After the Juma’ah prayers, participants marched through the streets waving Palestinian and Nigerian flags and carrying placards with messages such as “Free Palestine” and “Stop Gaza Genocide.”

A lecturer at Lagos State University, Dr. Ganiyah Tijani-Adenle, called on individuals and governments to pressure Israel to end the killings, describing the crisis as a war against humanity rather than a religious conflict.

The event ended with special prayers for Palestine’s liberation and global peace.