Borno Begins Three-Day Anti-Boko Haram Fast Tomorrow

              

                                        Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn-Garbai

Residents of north-eastern Borno State are primed for a three-day fast beginning tomorrow and ending on Thursday, to seek divine intervention in the resurgence of killings masterminded by deadly Boko Haram Islamist sect.       
                                                                                                                                           

According to Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn-Garbai who issued the directive on Monday in Maiduguri, the fast is to ask for Allah’s help in restoring peace to the state.
“I am appealing to all residents of the state to observe a three-day fasting to seek Allah’s mercy towards ending the crisis facing us”, he said. “I believe we should continue to seek for Allah’s help toward restoring peace in the state”.
Ibn-Garbai bemoaned the human and material devastation caused by the renewed killings by terrorists, saying there can be no other time to seek God’s intervention.
Although he said special prayers would be held in mosques and churches during the period, he further implored residents to remain relentless in their prayers afterwards.
Ibn-Garbal’s prayer-and-fasting directive came on the same day the Borno State Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) pleaded for the material and financial support of the Federal Government to bolster the contribution of its members to maintenance of peace in the state.
Spokesman of the group, Mr. Iliasu Saidu said that while vehicles would aid the movement of the 2500-plus youths, an allowance would serve as a steady source of livelihood while also motivating them for the challenge.
“Borno is Nigeria and the people fomenting violence and the killings are Nigerians”, said Saidu, who revealed plans of the state government to recruit another 1,500 youths to the civilian group.
“If we can have assistance from the Federal Government, it will help us to achieve peace. Borno is a beautiful state that must not be taken over by hoodlums”.
Despite President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of a state of emergency in the Northeast, Boko Haram has intensified its attacks in the region.
On 26th January at least 30 workers were murdered in an attack on a Catholic church in Waga Chakawa, Adamawa State; and by the end of that month alone, at least 115 people had been killed in Borno and Adamawa States.
At least 272 people were murdered in February, 67 in Konduga, Borno State on the 11th; 146 in Izghe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State on the 15th; and at least 59 on the 25th in an attack on the Federal Government College in Buni Yadi, Yobe State.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            posted by Emanto Ngaloru  March 10, 2014.