Emir of Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu – Gambari, has condemned in strong terms acts of thuggery displayed by some persons believed to have accompanied the former senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to eid prayer ground on Saturday.
The people believed to be in company of the former senate president swarmed his (Saraki)’s seat on the right side of the emir during the eid Khutbah (sermon) and suddenly threw the prayer ground to a political rally.
They disrupted the formal conclusion of the eid prayers which is usually wrapped up with the emir’ s traditional sallah blessings and message at the end of eid prayer.
Saturday’s incident was the first time in the history of eid -el -Kabir festival in Ilorin that the emir would be prevented from delivering his sallah blessing and message to the people of the state
Reacting to the situation, the emir described the development “as acts of brazen lawlessness during holy eid prayers.”
He said he had left the thugs and their sponsors in the hands of Allah.
Before the incident, the eid prayer had gone peacefully with the statesmanship demonstrated by the state governor, AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq, who warmly embraced the VIPs and opposition politicians at the praying ground.
Due to the chaotic situation, hardly could any worshipper listen to the sermon of the chief Imam of Ilorin, and all entreaties and appeal for calm by the emir to listen to the sermon and his speech yielded no positive result as the people continued in their unruly behaviour.
While the display lasted, the emir, the governor and worshippers watched the ugly incident in frustration.
To avert the situation from degenarating to bloody clashes, the governor quickly restrained worshippers from any counter reactions at the eid praying ground.
Clerics at the praying ground had earlier appealed to all the politicians to conduct themselves orderly and peacefully.
