Dogara urges perseverence, prayers over renewed terrorist attacks

By Joshua Egbodo
Abuja

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has urged Nigerians not to relent in prayers for the country, in face of the renewed attacks by the Boko Haram  sect.
The Speaker, while condemning the attacks in Jos and Zaria which left scores of people dead, said recent security challenges facing the nation cannot be resolved through conventional human wisdom, but through divine intervention from the Almighty God.

Dogara, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Turaki Hassan, made the call yesterday at the commissioning of a church at Ubulu-Uku, built by a member of the House, Hon. Joan Mrakpor, who represents Aniocha North/ Aniocha South/Oshimili North/Oshimili South Federal Constituency of Delta state.

The Speaker said: “I will urge that we continue with prayers for Nigeria. If Nigeria will be exalted, it will be on the account of righteousness,” adding that with prayers there is nothing that cannot be achieved as a nation as it is the promise of God that He will listen to the prayers of His people.

He said the words of God are “eternal and immutable,” and that as leaders, “we need prayers from all Nigerians. When you continue to pray for your leaders for righteousness to reign in the affairs of the nation, definitely, Nigeria will be exalted and it will reflect on our citizens”.
The statement further quoted the Speaker as saying, “These very uncommon times, we live in the times that our hearts are beginning to fail us as a result of the many sad events in our nation. These are very uncommon times and all we need to survive is prayers. And that is why altars like this are necessary.”

According to him, “The world we live in is dictated by words and there are godly and satanic altars. When we sleep people are trying to re-programme our world. We must also speak from our altars,” pointing out that prayers and giving of alms “gives us the power to confront the forces of darkness because our strength is light.”