Stop Using Islam to Perpetrate Evil, Niger Gov Advises Muslims

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has advised Muslims to stop using Islam to perpetrate evil, saying Islam is a religion of peace.

Bello gave the advice in his message to Muslims to mark this year’s Eid-el Maulud, the birth of Prophet Mohammed.

In the message signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mary Noel Berje, Bello regretted the attitude of some miscreants who use the religion of Islam as a facade to perpetrate heinous crimes, saying everything should be done to bring this to an end.

“The Muslim Ummah must rise up against all those promoting violence and insecurity in the country. Only genuine love and an enduring social equilibrium can frustrate the spread of violent ideologies in the society,” he said.

The governor therefore submitted that imbibing the spirit of love, patience, perseverance, humility, honesty, generosity and above all putting others first would guarantee peace, unity and Nigeria would be a better place to live in.

Bello noted that humanity is fast losing its essence because of the obvious disregard for religious teachings and practice, maintaining that Prophet Muhammad and indeed Islam preaches peace, tolerance, unity and cohesion.

The governor restated his administration’s resolve to continue to execute people-oriented projects in the state, stressing that the APC-led administration remains focused in its service delivery to the citizenry.

He therefore congratulated the Muslim faithful for witnessing this year’s Eid-el Maulud celebration and prayed for unity and peaceful coexistence, progress and development of the state in particular and the country in general.

In a similar message, the Special Adviser Political and Strategy to the governor, Alhaji Nma Kolo, admonished Muslims to continue to live in peace with one another and even members of other religions.

Kolo, in the message, noted the relative peace in bandits affected areas of the state and attributed this to the steps taken by the state government and the efforts of the security agency.

He therefore urged all peace-loving people to continue to give absolute support to the government and the security agencies in order to permanently surmount insecurity in the state.