Boko Haram: Nigerian pilgrims offer special prayers in Saudi Arabia

Posted by admin Boko Haram Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

Some Nigerians performing this year’s Lesser Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia said they offered special prayers to God for an end to Boko Haram insurgency and other vices in Nigeria.
They said they did not only pray for themselves, their immediate families and friends while performing the Lesser Hajj but asked God to restore peace, harmony and progress in all parts of Nigeria, particularly in Borno and Plateau states.

Alhaji Abdulfatah Mohammed, a pilgrim from Kwara, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Mecca on Tuesday that as a Nigerian, he had a responsibility to wish his country well by offering special prayer for the general progress of the nation.

“I prayed for peace to reign in Nigeria. I prayed that the Boko Haram, which is a problem in Nigeria that God should put an end to it and the problem of armed robbery, kidnapping, killings.’’
A female pilgrim from Kogi, who simple gave her name as Hajiya Zainab said she offered special prayers for the progress of her family and Nigeria in general.

She stated that she also prayed to God to grant the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, state governors and all those in positions of authority to fulfill their promises to the electorate.
A one-time director of press to former governor Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna State and former sole administrator of Soba Local Government Council of the state, Alhaji Lukman Musa, told NAN that he offered special prayers for peace to reign in all parts of Nigeria while performing the Umrah.
“During this Holy moment one prays for himself, for his family and for his country.

“I joined many other Nigerians in praying for Nigeria; for the peace of the country; for the progress of the country; for the unity of the various people of the country and we prayed that God would continue to bless Nigeria and that we work together for the development of the country in spite of all the diversities we have as a people and as a country.’’
NAN observed that thousands of Nigerian pilgrims, who had successfully performed their Umrah in Mecca, had started heading to Medina for visits to important religious sites before their return journey to Nigeria.
Many of the pilgrims interviewed by NAN, however, indicated their intention to celebrate the end of Ramadan fasting in the Holy Land before returning to Nigeria.

-Sunwp_posts