Leading Muslim Advocacy groups in Nigeria have spoken against the ongoing crisis in Gaza, condemning Arab governments for their inaction and complicity in the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.
They fault Arab leaders for urging Hamas to disarm without addressing the root causes of the conflict, including occupation and oppression.
The Muslim Awareness International and other Advocacy organisations held a world press conference in Lagos, to emphasise the true solidarity required from Arab governments.
They agreed that the Arab leaders have the capacity to use their diplomatic leverage to demand an end to the occupation and collective punishment, rather than pressuring the victims to surrender.
Human rights violations
The Director of MAI, Abdul Waheed Atoyebi, lamented on the present situation in Gaza as he described it as a gross human rights violations of the Palestinians.
The briefing with the theme End Gaza Genocide Now, was attended by representatives of various Muslim groups and human rights organisations in Nigeria, including Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), Al-Mu’minaat (The Believing Women) Organisation, International Institute of Human Heritage (IIHH), Quds Foundation, Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).
According to MAI, while the Arab League and several governments often issue condemnations of Israeli aggression, their actions have been inconsistent, fragmented, and in many cases counterproductive.
For justice
Atoyebi noted that the recent wave of normalisation agreements between Israel and some Arab nations has further eroded the moral authority of the Arab world and undermined the Palestinian struggle for justice.
He said the Palestinians, particularly those in Gaza have been let down by the Arab world’s disjointed and self-interested approach, which has refused to provide meaningful support and protection in the face of the crisis.
“The Palestinian people have long looked to the Arab world for protection, support, and principled leadership. What they have often received instead is fragmented diplomacy, silence in the face of atrocities, and political deals that exclude them,” Atoyebi stated.
The Director of IIHH, Barrister Rasheed Atta emphasised while speaking on the call by the Arab leaders for Hamas to disarm and religuish power in Gaza said that any real and lasting peace must uphold Palestinian resistance group and must not be based on externally imposed conditions.
Suffering of Palestinians
Atta stressed that disarming Hamas while leaving the root causes of the conflict unaddressed would only serve to perpetuate Israeli domination and deepen the suffering of Palestinians.
“Demanding unilateral disarmament without addressing the structural violence of occupation is unjust. It reduces a national liberation movement to a security problem and ignores the broader aspirations of an oppressed people,” he said.
Director of IIHH urged Arab governments to reaffirm their support for the Palestinian right to self-determination, reject conditional recognition of statehood tied to Israeli approval, and act decisively to provide humanitarian and diplomatic support to the people of Gaza.
Arab unity
The organisation called for an end to political calculations that prioritise foreign alliances over Arab unity and the pursuit of justice.
“Now is the time for Arab unity, not neutrality. The Palestinian people do not need sympathy—they need solidarity, protection, and decisive action,” Atta declared.
The Amirah of Al-Mu’minaat in Lagos, Hajia Balqees Abdullah, urged Muslims and Christians worldwide to amplify advocacy, mobilise humanitarian aid, and pressure their governments to act.
Moral crisis
The organisation stressed that the situation in Gaza transcends politics and is a moral crisis that threatens the fabric of global humanity.
“Religious leaders and faithful are called upon to raise awareness, mobilize aid, and advocate for peace rooted in justice. Inter-faith cooperation can amplify this moral imperative,” Hajia Abdullah said.
Hajia Abdullah, who represented the National Amirah of the Muslim female organisation, called on African nations, especially Nigeria, to leverage their positions in international bodies to demand an end to the siege and ensure humanitarian corridors are opened.
“Our governments must move beyond rhetoric. They must act with urgency to provide aid and apply diplomatic pressure on Israel to end the violence and occupation,” Hajia Abdullah emphasised.
Remains complicit
Abdullah said the US is acting unjustly and remains complicit in the ongoing killings: Quds Foundation Director
Also speaking, the Director of Quds Foundation, Mr Qasim Akinloye condemned the role of the United States in the crisis. Mr Akinloye accused both the Biden and Trump administrations of enabling Israel’s military operations through weapons supply, diplomatic vetoes at the UN, and obstruction of ceasefires.
“The U.S.’ role as an unjust ruler is a major obstacle to peace, perpetuating a cycle of violence and deepening the humanitarian crisis,” he charged.
The world press conference ended with a call to action to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza as all group representatives in attendance demand that the global community take immediate action to alleviate the sufferings of Palestinians and recognise it as a sovereign state without conditions.