Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole have held a special prayer session over the unending Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.
Chief Imam, 7 Division Nigerian Army Maiduguri, Col Musa Usman in a sermon during the prayer explained that the prayer which commenced from 9 am yesterday and lasted till 2 pm did not diminish the confidence in the capacity of troops to win the war against insurgency in the country.
He said the prayers were offered to complement the military operations and as part of the solution to the ongoing war against terror and insurgency especially in the Northeast and not an alternative to the counter-terrorism war.
“The need to explore the non-kinetic approach to addressing the insurgency necessitated the call for the prayer,” the army cleric explained. He said dialogue, prayers and safe landing for the repentant Boko Haram would complement the counter-insurgency war by the troops.
He said there was nowhere in the world where war is won by force alone but by dialogue and other non-military means.
He urged Muslim troops to uphold the tenet and teachings of the religion. He said the sermon was centered on the purity of souls for troops, urging them to maintain honesty and patriotism in their services to the nation.
Verses of Q’uran were recited by some Islamic clerics from both the military formations in the state and from the communities around. Prayers were also held for the country and all troops in the frontline.