Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) detained Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan, leader of Ta’awunu Muslimeen in Iwo, Osun State, after a video of a solidarity march raising the Palestinian flag went viral — a development that has split public opinion between support for Palestine and security alarm over the march’s choreography and rhetoric. This post explains what happened, why authorities intervened, the reactions online, the group’s background, and the wider implications for activism and security in Nigeria.
On December 15–16, 2025 a short but widely circulated video set off a storm of online debate and a swift security response in southwestern Nigeria. The clip — filmed in Iwo, Osun State — showed a procession of men, women and children carrying a Palestinian flag, chanting slogans for “free Palestine,” and appearing to pledge allegiance to the Qur’an and Sunnah. Within hours, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) had reportedly taken into custody Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan, the spiritual leader associated with the Ta’awunu Muslimeen movement, sparking intense conversation about the limits of public dissent, the role of religious movements in political causes, and national security.
The DSS action, widely reported by local news outlets and social platforms, was framed by authorities as an investigation into possible security risks arising from the public march and its messaging. Several mainstream and digital outlets carrying the breaking news emphasized that the arrest followed the viral circulation of the footage and came amid concerns from citizens who described the march as resembling modes of mobilization associated with extremist groups. Those concerns were amplified online by commentators who pointed to synchronized arm gestures seen in the footage and likened them to militaristic or cult-like displays.
Who is Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan and what is Ta’awunu Muslimeen?
Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan is known locally as the leader of Ta’awunu Muslimeen, a community-based Islamic organization that operates in and around Iwo. The group runs religious schools and has, according to reports, organized solidarity actions in the past, including earlier pro-Palestine demonstrations. Ta’awunu positions itself publicly as an organization focused on religious teaching and global Muslim concerns; critics, however, have argued that some of its public mobilizations verge on political agitation.
Local reporting and social-media posts indicate the group’s recent march involved chanting Arabic slogans and pledges that some viewers interpreted as religious devotion while others read them as more militant. The presence of children in the footage heightened the emotional charge of the images, prompting a mix of solidarity, alarm, and calls for official investigation.
The video: what people saw and why it alarmed some Nigerians
Short clips circulated on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook showing the procession, flags and synchronized gestures. For many viewers the imagery was interpreted as a non-violent expression of solidarity with Palestinians; for others it raised red flags. Critics compared the choreography to recruitment tactics or to displays used by violent groups historically — a worrying echo given Nigeria’s recent past with violent extremist organizations and cult mobilization. Those comparisons — sometimes hyperbolic — nonetheless contributed to mass online sharing and pressure on security services to respond.
On the other side of the debate were Nigerians and civil-society voices emphasizing the right to peaceful protest and the legitimacy of solidarity with civilian victims abroad. Social media, as is often the case, split between outrage at what some called “dangerous public displays,” and criticism of perceived overreach by security agencies if the march was merely a peaceful demonstration for an international cause.
The DSS response — arrest and investigation
According to multiple reports the DSS detained Sheikh Molaasan for questioning in relation to the march and to determine whether elements of the gathering violated any laws or posed public-security risks. Reports describe the arrest as targeted and triggered primarily by the viral footage rather than by any report of violence at the scene. As of the latest dispatches, officials had not released a detailed public statement on charges (if any), while local outlets and social posts continued to follow developments.
It is worth noting that Nigeria’s security agencies have, in recent years, taken a hard line against formations or public behaviours they deem to be recruitment, indoctrination, or the early signs of organized violent extremism. Given that context, and the charged nature of the imagery, the decision to detain a leader for questioning fits a pattern of preemptive security interventions — even though the legal threshold for criminal culpability in peaceful political expression remains an important subject of national debate.
Public reaction: polarization, misinformation and the speed of social media
The Iwo video produced immediate polarization. Some users shared the footage as a proud act of solidarity for Palestinians; others reshared it with alarmist captions comparing it to historical radical movements in Nigeria. Several influential posts amplified the footage with commentary that linked the scene to extremist precedents — a dynamic that often accelerates security responses even before official verification. Fact-checkers and reputable outlets urge caution: viral clips can be partial, decontextualized, or selectively edited; still, the social impact of a short clip can be decisive once it reaches millions of viewers.
This incident also demonstrates how digital virality can shorten the window for authorities to act, for better or worse: while rapid action can prevent recruitment or escalation, hasty detentions risk criminalizing legitimate expression and chilling civic engagement. Balancing these outcomes is precisely the kind of governance dilemma that national security and human-rights advocates are warning about.
Historical backdrop: pro-Palestine activism in Nigeria and the region
Solidarity with Palestine has been a recurring theme in Nigerian civil society and among religious groups for decades. Nigerian religious organizations and student groups have staged similar demonstrations in prior years, and global events in the Israel–Palestine conflict frequently provoke local expressions of support or protest across Africa. What makes the Iwo incident noteworthy is not the cause itself — many Nigerians express empathy for Palestinians — but the way the march was staged, filmed and weaponized in online discourse to generate security anxiety.
What this could mean going forward
1. Increased surveillance of public religious gatherings: Security agencies may intensify monitoring of public religious events, particularly where imported or foreign flags and militant-style choreography are involved.
2. Legal scrutiny and human-rights debate: Human-rights organizations and civil-society actors are likely to press for transparent legal grounds for any arrests and for clear criteria distinguishing unlawful recruitment from peaceful protest.
3. Community engagement and de-radicalization focus: Community leaders and state actors may be forced to invest more in civic education to ensure that peaceful solidarity actions are not co-opted into recruitment or incitement.
How to read the reporting: caution and verification
Several outlets are reporting the same developing facts — the viral video, the identity of the cleric, the detention — but details vary across platforms. Readers should treat fast-breaking social-media material with caution and prioritize verified reporting from established newsrooms, official statements, and direct responses from involved parties (e.g., the cleric’s counsel, the group’s spokespeople or the DSS). We will update this analysis as official statements and verifiable facts emerge.
This episode sits at the intersection of foreign-policy solidarity, religious mobilization and domestic security concerns. While solidarity with international causes is a legitimate form of civic expression, authorities have a duty to ensure public safety — and civil-society actors have a duty to guard against the instrumentalization of children, ritualized choreography or rhetoric that may blur into recruitment. For readers and reporters: verify footage, seek primary responses from involved parties (the cleric, the group, the DSS) and treat social-media claims with measured skepticism. We will continue following official updates and will append verified statements as they become available.
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