Tag: Prayers

  • Nasarawa Speaker Felicitates With Christians at Easter, Calls For Sober Reflection, Prayers, Love and Patriotism

    Nasarawa Speaker Felicitates With Christians at Easter, Calls For Sober Reflection, Prayers, Love and Patriotism

    “… urges citizens not to lose hope over nation’s challenges, says they can be overcome…”

    … pray for Nigeria, the period is unique, special as Christians ending 40days fasting of lent, Muslims currently half way into fasting of Ramadan.

    As Christians mark the celebration of Easter, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Speaker Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi has felicitated with the Christian community on this year’s Easter celebration.

    The Speaker in a statement by his Press Secretary, Jibrin Gwamna enjoined Christians to use the period for sober reflection by exhibiting sacrifice, love, and support for one another, especially to the less privileged ones as exhibited by Jesus Christ.

    Speaker Balarabe Abdullahi called on Christians to use the period to intensify prayers for the nation and its leadership, stressing the need for citizens to have faith in God and the Government as according to him the security and other challenges facing the country can be overcome and will soon be a thing of the past.

    The Nasarawa State Number Three Citizen also called on Nigerians to use the period and pray for the success of the upcoming General Elections and the many challenges facing the nation , especially at this unique and special period where Christians are ending the 40 days fasting of lent and Muslims are also half way into the holy month of the Ramadan Fasting respectively.

  • Borno residents offer special prayers, fast to end insurgency

    Borno residents offer special prayers, fast to end insurgency

    Some residents of Maiduguri are observing the special prayer sessions and fast to end insurgency and restore peace to the war-tone Borno.

    Gov. Babagana Zulum in a statewide broadcast on Feb. 19, declared Monday (Feb. 24) for fasting and prayer to end insurgency.

    Zulum had called on the people to fast and pray to seek for divine intervention for intensified military offensive against the insurgents and achieve peace in the state.

    A cross section of the residents, who spoke to NAN in separate interviews, described the prayer as imperative to end the decade long insurgency ravaging the state.

    Mr Mohammed Shehu, a resident, said that he fast in response to the declaration by the governor for a special day of prayer seeking divine intervention to end insurgency and restore peace to the state.

    Shehu described the action as a positive step to end insurgency, saying that such prayer is necessary to ensure successful implementation of counter insurgency campaign.

    He said: “Today, I fast and intensify prayers for divine intervention to end the crisis bedeviling the state.

    “The governor mobilised us to pray and I will continue to pray for peace to reign.”

    Another resident, Miss Lydia Dauda, said she and her friends were fasting and also held special prayer session with members of her church on Sunday.

    She said that women and children were worst hit by the insurgency, noting that she prayed fervently believing that God will bring an end to the crisis.

    Dauda added that such prayer was imperative to provide lasting solution to the insurgency in view of the resurgence of insurgents’ attacks in spite of the success recorded by the military in the past years.

    “I pray and fast today as directed by the governor, and I will continue to do so for peace and stability in the state and the country,,” she said.

    Madam Victoria Daniel, an eatery operator, who corroborated earlier opinions, said that she closed her shop to enable her pray and fast in response to the call by the state governor.

    Daniel said she closed shop to avoid counting losses because most her customers had indicated willingness to fast on the appointed day.

    She expressed optimism that the prayer would herald defeat of the insurgents, bring peace and fast track government efforts toward addressing security challenges and humanitarian crisis in the state.

    It would be recalled that Zulum had in 2019, sponsored 30 Islamic clerics to Saudi Arabia to pray for an end to the insurgency.

    The governor said in the broadcast that the prayer was necessary sequel to resurgence of insurgents’ attacks in Auno, Chibok and other parts of the state.

    He lamented that this is even as ongoing collaboration with the military, mass recruitment, equipping and deployment of thousands of volunteers in the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), hunters and vigilantes to fight the insurgents are on.

    Zulum said: “The call for prayers was a strange but necessary decision made based on popular wish of Borno people.

    “Even though this decision is based on the popular demand of our people, some observers may rightly argue that it is a strange call. But then, Borno has been befallen with a strange evil since 2009, and sometimes, strange ailments require strange approaches.

    “As your governor, I hereby declare Monday the 24th of February 2020, as a day of devotion to pray for the return of peace in Borno. I intend to fast on that day and I appeal to every one of us in Borno, who can, to join in that simple, but pricelessly rewarding spiritual endeavour.

    “I also appeal for the sacrifices of all other well-meaning friends and associates of Borno who can, to join us in fasting on Monday, In-sha Allah, for the restoration of peace in Borno State and rest of Nigeria.

    “I urge all of us to be steadfast in prayers. But in doing that, we certainly do not need to congregate in open fields for dramas.

    “It would also not matter whether we are within or outside Borno State and whether we are at work places, markets or not. There will be no public holiday, after all, God is everywhere, at home and at work.

    “Let us pray to Him with the purest intention, total devotion, submission and unwavering faith.”

    The governor added that the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi, has pledged to mobilise Muslim clerics for the prayer while leaders of the Christian community have also assured of special prayer sessions in churches. (NAN)

  • Insecurity: Cleric urges continuous prayers

    Insecurity: Cleric urges continuous prayers

    Sheikh Aliyu Suleiman, Chief Imam of Brighter Jumma’ah Mosque, Minna, has called for continuous prayers for the country to overcome its current security challenges.

    Sheikh Suleiman made the call during his Friday sermons at the Mosque in Minna.

    He said seeking divine intervention would help to tackle kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities being perpetrated in some parts of the country.

    He said the life of every citizen was precious, and that it was worth protecting.

    The Cleric also called for an end to bloodshed in the country, stressing that whether that of a Christian or a Muslim, “every life is precious to God”.

    He called on security agencies in the country to flush out criminals and enemies of the country.

    “We must live in peace with one another irrespective of socio-cultural and religious backgrounds, if the country is to develop,” he said.

    Suleiman also called on the Federal Government to put an end to the “senseless killings, in the name of kidnapping and banditry going on in some parts of the country”.

    He expressed concerns over the continued killing of innocent people by bandits in Rafi, Shiroro, Munya and Mashegu local government areas. (NAN)