Delta Muslims hold Prayer Section for Nation, Dissociates self from Boko Haram Sect ….Appeal to Boko Haram to Set Chibok Girls Free

Francis Sadhere

Muslims in Delta State today, at the Central Mosque Warri, held a prayer session for the State and Nigeria, calling for peaceful coexistence between Nigerians irrespective of their religious or political belief.

They dissociates themselves from the activities of Boko Haram, saying that the dreaded sect that has been terrorizing the nation were not Muslims but that they were out to disintegrate the nation and discredit Islam.

While speaking at the Prayer session/Lecture, held at the Central Mosque, Warri, Delta State, the Chief Imam of the Mosque, Alhaji Abdul Rasheed Ajisafe, appealed to the sect to release the abducted Chibok girls.

Ajisafe who later prayed for the state government and Federal Government said there was need for peace in the country, adding that without peace in country no meaningful development can take place.

He said; ““I want to commend Deltans , the people we have been staying with for the past 30 -40. They are good people. Usually when they used to call us Alhaji, Imam, but recently, because of the activities of Boko Haram in the north, they now refer to us as Boko Haram. I want to use this medium to tell Deltans that we are not Boko Haram. Islam is quite different but those people (Boko Haram) that are betrayers and they are not Muslims.”

The Chief Imam of NPA Mosque, Alhaji Abdul Azees Bello, in his lecture titled, “Islam is a Religion of Peace”, said Islam preaches total submission to the will of God, peace, brotherliness and harmony amongst the people.

Bello stressed that at no time had Islam compelled people to become Muslims, noting that there was no compulsion in religion, adding that some people werejust out to discredit Islam.

He said, “Islam does not encourage the shedding of innocent blood. Islam does not terrorize people. In Islam Allah said that anybody that takes the life of a soul is like somebody that has killed the whole world. Islam is a universal religion. You can see Muslims living all over the world. Recently because of the activities of Boko Haram the people we have lived with for so many years are not calling us Boko Haram. I want to appeal to my Muslim brothers to be patient with the current situation because nothing last forever.”

Speaking to journalist, Bello said; “We in Delta State are very vigilant. We have educated our members that they should not do anything that will bring disrepute to Islam. If you cause any violent you are on your own. We are ready to report any of our member that is doing anything wrong because the Hadis said that if you see your brother that is doing wrong or is being wronged, help him. If we see anybody that is causing breach of security, we are going to hand that person to the security agents. But let me tell you that we are not the ones causing all these problems. Those that are causing the problems are propagandists.”

The Chairman, League of Imams, Delta State, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, on his part said that God forbids the killings of human beings, stressing that the activities of Boko Haram in the country was targeted at causing confusion between Muslims and Christians in the country.

He urged all Muslims in the state to be extra vigilant, calling all Imams to report any suspicious persons to the security agent.

Ahmed said; “We have had several meetings with security agents. And we have been vigilant and on the lookout for strangers. We know those who are not members and those who are our members. The Chief Imam should report any strange faces they noticed in their congregation to the nearest league of Imams or police station, and let the security agents take over from there.

Speaking to newsmen on the kidnapped Chibok girls, the Admira of Warri Central Mosque, Hajia kadijat Alegimenlen said Muslim women in Delta State were worried about the abducted Chibok girls, noting that as women there is was nothing they could but organize prayer sections to seek for divine intervention.

“We want to let the whole world know that Islam is a religion of peace. We are not collaborating with this Boko Haram sect that is causing problems here and there in order to spoil the name of Islam. Our daughters are very dear to us and that is the reason why we tried to organize special prayers today because of the Chibo girls. Today, we recited the whole Quran to appeal to God to touch the heart of this Boko Haram sect so that they can release our girls for us,” she said.

Also, the Chairman, Nigerian Aid Group of Islam, Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Delta State, Alhaji Sadiq Oniyesaneyene Musa, called on Nigerians to form of the habit of praying for their leaders instead of abusing them, opining that when people begin to cause their leaders, the leaders will automatically become monsters.

“I want to call on well meaning Nigerians to stop abusing our leaders because when we do they will become like monsters. But if we are praying for them every day, God is going to touch their heart and they will begin to do what is right. Our leaders are human being like and they deserve our prayers,” he said.