ABUJA, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Nigerian police have been placed on
a heightened state of alert after the U.S. killing of a top
Iranian military commander in Iraq sparked fears of public
disturbances in the West African country, the police said on
Sunday.
Qassem Soleimani was killed on Friday in a U.S. drone strike
on his convoy at Baghdad airport. The attack has prompted
concern of ramping tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
Nigeria is split roughly evenly between Christians and
Muslims, the latter of which are mostly Sunni. The government
last year banned the country's largest Shi'ite Muslim group, the
Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), after violent clashes between
its members and police.
IMN was heavily influenced by the Iranian revolution of 1979
which saw Ayatollah Khomeini take power.
"The Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, has
placed police commands and formations nationwide on red alert,"
the Nigeria Police Force said in a statement on Sunday.
"This proactive measure follows intelligence report that
sequel to the recent killing of an Iranian general; some
domestic interests are planning to embark on massive public
disturbances and sabotage," it said.
It said senior police officials had been "directed to ensure
maximum surveillance and security of lives and property across
the nation."
The statement did not name any specific groups or give
further details. A police spokesman did not immediately respond
to phone calls requesting comment.
Reuters was unable to independently verify claims that
public events were planned.
Nigeria banned IMN and outlawed its demonstrations which its
members held to call for the release of their leader, Ibrahim
Zakzaky, who has been held since 2015 when government forces
killed around 350 people in a storming of the group's compound.
The group last year said more than 30 of its members were
killed in police crackdowns on its protests. Police gave no
death toll.