The Islamic Movement of Nigeria has rejected allegations that it is plotting attacks on American citizens or facilities, insisting its activities are peaceful and constitutionally protected.

The clarification followed a security alert from the United States Embassy in Nigeria warning of a possible terrorist threat against American diplomatic missions and US-linked schools. The advisory urged US nationals to heighten vigilance around such locations amid rising tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, head of the IMN Resource Forum, Prof Abdullah Danladi, said attempts to link the movement to violent plots were unfounded and contrary to its record.

He said the movement, which he traced back to the late 1970s, had never authorised or carried out attacks on individuals or institutions, adding that violence only occurred when security forces disrupted its religious processions.

Danladi questioned the decision of the US Embassy to issue a public alert rather than quietly sharing any intelligence with Nigerian security agencies for investigation.

He argued that if there were credible threats, the appropriate channel would be through the police and other security organs, not public statements that could stigmatise a religious group and heighten public anxiety.

The IMN leader confirmed that the group would proceed with its annual Quds Day activities in Abuja on Friday, combining solidarity with Palestinians and mourning for the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He described the planned procession as a peaceful march along designated routes, with participants carrying placards and engaging residents on the plight of Palestinians and broader Middle East conflicts.

According to him, previous Quds Day events had passed without incident whenever security agencies refrained from using force, and he expressed confidence that this year’s march would be similarly calm if left undisturbed.

Danladi maintained that the IMN does not require police permission to hold religious gatherings or processions, citing constitutional guarantees of freedom of assembly and association. He urged residents of the Federal Capital Territory not to panic, assuring that the movement remained committed to non-violence.

The IMN and Nigerian security agencies have a long history of confrontation in Abuja, with past Quds Day marches and other protests sometimes degenerating into clashes that resulted in casualties on both sides.