The Kebbi State Government has turned to divine intervention as insecurity continues to plague the Northwest, with Governor Nasir Idris leading an interfaith prayer session in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.
The prayer gathering, organised by the Ministry for Religious Affairs, brought together Christian and Muslim clerics from all 21 local government areas to seek God’s mercy over the rising cases of banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.
Governor Idris, an All Progressive Congress (APC) governor, said the state had experienced relative calm compared to some parts of Nigeria but insisted that peace must be sustained through continuous prayers.
“No state can claim to be 100 per cent peaceful. The issue of security should not be politicised. Those saying that Kebbi or Nigeria is not peaceful, or that there is no cordial relationship between Muslims and Christians, are only spreading falsehood,” he said.
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“We are here together, Muslims and Christians, praying for divine intervention to overcome insecurity in our land,” he added.
The governor appreciated religious leaders for honouring his invitation and urged them to keep praying for unity and progress even after the event.
Despite the prayer call, residents in parts of Kebbi continue to live under the threat of bandit attacks, with several rural communities still reeling from recent abductions and killings.
Those in attendance included Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu, APC national organising secretary Sulaiman Argungu, former chief judge Bala Mairiga, and the chairman of the State Council of Ulama, Abubakar Riba.
Also present were the chairman of the Preaching Board, Umar Malisa, Abbas Jega, and the vice-chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kebbi, Femi Orofin, alongside other Christian leaders who joined in the intercessory prayers.
The event ended with renewed appeals for peace and divine guidance, even as questions remain about the government’s capacity to tackle the worsening security situation through policy rather than prayer.
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