March 20, (THEWILL) — The Sultan of Sokoto and the President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has commended efforts to address insecurity in Nigeria and called for more stringent measures to tackle the issue.
Abubakar also urged the Muslims across the country to sustain prayers for peace, unity, and prosperity in Nigeria.
The monarch spoke in the palace in Sokoto on Friday during his Eid-el-Fitr message, saying prayers are a potent weapon against the country’s problems.
He also encouraged Nigerians to live in peace, regardless of religious, ethnic, or cultural differences.
The Sultan congratulated Nigerian Muslims on completing the 30-day Ramadan fast and appealed to governments to emulate the Sokoto State Government’s efforts.
In the same vein, Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, urged citizens to continue praying for lasting peace and harmonious coexistence, particularly in Sokoto State and Nigeria in general.
He also emphasised that internally displaced persons require continuous support from well-meaning citizens to complement the efforts of the state government in improving their living conditions.
The Governor noted that since assuming office, his administration has been providing sustained support to security agencies to tackle the menace of banditry, which has led to the displacement of several communities, particularly in the eastern parts of the state.
According to him, the state government has also introduced measures aimed at improving the welfare of people living in IDP camps.
He disclosed that 100 houses have already been constructed for displaced persons at Illela Local Government Area, adding that more houses will be built for IDPs in other parts of the state.
“The state government has also been providing food and other forms of assistance to various IDP camps within the metropolis and beyond.
“We have seen how well-to-do individuals in the state have complemented the government’s efforts by providing food and other support to our IDPs during this year’s fast, which is highly commendable”, the Governor stated.
He stressed the need for affluent members of society to continue supporting vulnerable groups in order to complement the government’s efforts to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
“In the past two years, we have disbursed hundreds of millions of naira and distributed food items and clothing materials to the physically challenged, widows, orphans, internally displaced persons, and other needy citizens across the state”, he added.
Governor Aliyu also assured the people of Sokoto State of his administration’s continued commitment to executing meaningful projects that will transform the state, particularly in the areas of infrastructure and urban renewal.
He, therefore, called for sustained support from the people to enable his administration to fully implement its 9-Point Smart Innovative Agenda for the development of the state.
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
