Islamic clerics urge Nigerians to live in peace

Abuja - The Eid-El-Fitr was celebrated peacefully throughout Bauchi, Delta, Pleteau, Enugu and Kwara States on Thursday with Islamic clerics calling on Nigerians to live in peace.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no ugly incident was recorded across the states.

Sheik Balarabe Daudu, Chief Imam, Jos Central Mosque, called on citizens to respect constituted authorities and also pray for peace in the country.

Daudu made the call in his sermon at Ali Kazaure Eid Prayer Ground in Jos.

The chief Imam advised the people to support government policies, adding that no government would be in place if God did not approve of it.

He stated that there would be no development if the people failed to support government in the execution of programmes meant for the good of the people.

The cleric urged Muslims to pray for the return of peace to country stressing that peace was priceless.

"Nothing meaningful can be done without peace. Keep praying and working for it’’, he said.

He urged youths to engage themselves self-employment instead of idling and waiting for unavailable government jobs.

According to him, many youths engage in destructive and evil acts due to idleness.

"Don’t wait for government to do everything for you, initiate something with your God-given talent and I assure you that you will be better off for it”, he said.

In Bauchi, major streets were almost deserted.  Investigation revealed that many people had travelled to their villages to celebrate.

Also, the law enforcement agents had restricted movement of traffic on some major highways in the metropolis

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Ladan, told NAN that the entire state was calm and the occasion was celebrated peacefully.

According to him, there is no report of ugly incidents and we thank God for his protection.

"I call on the people to continue to be law-abiding and report any suspicious character to the security agents”, he said.

The Imam of Enugu Central Mosque, Sheik Zulkarnaini Saeed, urged Muslims across the state to live in peace with one another.

He told them to be kind to non-Muslims "because Allah condemns killing, the Koran condemns it, and there is no place in Koran that taught Muslims to kill innocent people.

"They are not fighting you so you should not fight them; there is no cause for you as a Muslim to fight somebody.

"Allah said He condemns the killing of an innocent person, so we don’t know where some people get the support in doing what is against Islam’’, he said.

Saeed called on Muslims and non-Muslims to pray for Nigerian leaders so as to lead the nation courageously without confusion but with the fear of God.

He commended Gov. Sullivan Chime of Enugu state for his support for Muslims in the state.

Earlier in his sermon, Saeed advised Muslims to continue to live the life they were living during the Ramadan.

"Islam praises good character and condemns evil.

"There are so many things that Ramadan taught us: to abstain from lying, fornication, adultery, giving false witness, among other’’, he stressed.

In Asaba, Muslims in Delta were reminded to continue to support government at all levels to fight terrorism in the country.

The Chairman of Arewa Community in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Babagero, said terrorism was an ill wind and a threat to good governance in the country.

According to him, the insecurity in the country arising from the activities of Boko Haram is distracting the Federal and State Governments from implementing programmes.

He called on Christians to join the Muslims to pray for peace in Nigeria, saying it was the only way the nation can surmount the prevailing security challenge.

Ibrahim, who is also the Sariki of the Hausa Community in Asaba, pointed out that security should not be left to the government alone, as it was everyone’s responsibility.

"We also appeal to those persons wreaking havoc on Nigerians through acts of terrorism to drop their guns and desist from such acts”, he said.

The Chief Imam of Asaba Central Mosque, Alhaji Liman Umar, urged Nigerians to come together in prayer against the evil of terrorism in the country.