The Coalition of Northern Groups CNG has described the advice to seek divine intervention against insecurity by eminent global Islamic clerics that met in Kano as timely step in the right direction.
The spokesperson of the CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, while responding to reporters, said as a Muslim, he does not doubt the efficacy of prayers to beseech God’s help and support in solving every issue no matter how complex.
He however cautioned that prayers must be backed by action from the government as the first responder and improved cooperation and support by the public.
“The CNG had already flagged off series of prayer sessions which began in Kano late last year in recognition of the enormity of the security challenges in the country, especially around the North,” Suleiman said.
“At the risk of overstating the case, I can unhesitatingly say that the escalating security situation in the North is one of the most serious challenges facing Nigeria today. The fact that the problem is insidious is the more reason why it should be seen as an existential matter that needs to be approached with the entire national resolve behind any government effort and tackled robustly and defeated once for all.
“No nation can aspire to greatness or seek to remain secure and safe when a vast majority of its landmass, forests, highways, land boarders and other productive segments of society fall to the mercy of insurgents bandits kidnappers and rapists.
“National security challenges such as the one we are faced with should not be treated with levity and condescension. Neither should they be seen as affecting only one region or state or, for that matter, one ethnic group or the other. On the contrary, such challenges are cross-national issues that affect every one of us regardless of where we live or come from. For this reason, the situation must be confronted collectively with the entire will and resolve of the nation behind the effort. Failure to do so will indubitably mean that every effort made in isolation will defeat all our endeavours, and render our task the more difficult and futile.
“Every one of us must therefore, become a stakeholder and a committed actor in this struggle to free our society and our country of this debilitating problem. All of us, young and old, men and women, leaders and the led, politicians and civil servants, businessmen and women, teachers and students, and people from all walks of life must get involved in this struggle; but prayers are key,” Suleiman said.
