From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has used the occasion of the Sallah celebrations to remind the Nigerian Government of their primary responsibility to guarantee the protection of the lives and property of citizens.
In a statement on Monday by ACF National Chairman Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Forum noted that insecurity in the country has made it difficult for farmers to attend to their farms, adding that hunger is looming across the country because of a hike in prices of food items.
‘The ACF is once again reminding all governments in Nigeria from the Local Governments through the states to the Federal that the primary responsibility of government is to protect life and property. The best time to remind the government’s that Eid-El-Adha is here and that they took an oàth to protect all the lives and property of Nigerians,’ Audu said in the statement.
‘The ACF is worried that farmers, particularly northern farmers have not had a good farming season last year and this year because of the criminal activities of bandits and the terrorist; frequent clashes have made farming a very frightening and hazardous exercìse.
‘As a result of the sundry activities and the COVID-19 pandemic, hunger is looming in the dark corner. Prices of foodstuffs are already beyond the common man.
‘As we celebrate this occasion we urge the Muslim Ummah to pray for peace to return to our beloved country Nigeria. The Christians and other believers too should join the Muslims in praying for the people and government of Nigeria. This is a call to National duty that goes beyond religious boundaries.
‘I wish to on behalf of myself and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) congratulate all Nigerian Muslims on this special occasion of Eid-El-Adha, a special Sallah occasion that is being solemnly observed worldwide.
‘Nigeria is celebrating this Sallah with mixed feelings because of the activities of bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, armed robbers and those who are waging a war to tear the country apart,’ the statement read.