By Ene Osang
Abuja
The federal government has been urged to stop Nigerian youths travelling to the Republic of Iran to study, following observation that some of them “do so end up being radicalised.”
This was contained in a statement by the African Students in Cyprus during a march it organised against terrorism and extremism at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus.
According to the statement, its President, Jeremiah Omadachi, said “Nigeria faces future security risk if it continues to allow youths travel to countries where they end up being radicalised.”
The statement noted that some youths who travelled to Iran under the guise of studying, but were shipped off to other countries such as Yemen and Somalia where they got trained as radicals.
It called on security operatives and the foreign affairs ministry to tackle radicalisation by the El Zakzakky’s supporters, stressing that the group’s activities should not be taken for granted in the country.
It read in part: “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 Shi’ite sect, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has remained a 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 traveling 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.”