Muslims defy Boko Haram threats, throng prayer grounds

Muslims in both Borno and Yobe states, on Saturday, defied threats of attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents and trooped to prayer grounds for the Eid-el-Kabir prayers.

They were not deterred by the fact that they had to trek long distances from their homes to the prayer grounds to say the congregational prayer, which is the peak of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

The long trek followed the directive by the military authorities barring vehicular movements in order to forestall attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents.

There were blockages on all the roads and stern-looking soldiers and policemen were all over the town to enforce the order.

Some worshippers had to trek between five and seven kilometres for the Eid prayer grounds, which were few across the troubled town.

In his Sallah message to the people of the state, Governor Kashim Shettima urged Muslims in the country to be kind to their neighbours and live in harmony with people irrespective of their religious and social differences.

He said the feast of sacrifice which the Eid-El-Kabir celebration symbolises also teaches sharing, love and good neighbourliness.

“As we celebrate this Sallah in peace and harmony, I also call on all Muslims in the state to be kind to their neighbours, relatives, friends and the needy by extending gestures to them in the spirit of eid el kabir festival,” the governor said through a statement signed by the deputy director, Press Affairs at the Government House, Ndahi Pindar Sawa.

In Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, there was huge turnout of worshippers at different Eid praying grounds despite security apprehension of a possible attack by the insurgents.

The expansive Yobe Islamic Centre witnessed large of worshippers. Other Eid grounds at 3 bedroom Gujba road, Waziri Ibrahim, Phase I, Nayinawa, Ben Kalio Housing Estate and Zanna Zakaria Estates all within Damaturu metropolis also had large turnouts of worshippers.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Abubakar Aliyu in company with the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress and other members of the State Executive Council joined other thousands of worshippers at the Yobe Mosque and Islamic Centre to observe the two Rakat prayers.

There were strict checks and screening of worshippers by stern-looking security agents before being allowed access to the Yobe Mosque.