The executive secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Rev. Yakubu Pam, has said Nigeria would bounce back if it “respects the role of our royal fathers.”
According to a press statement issued by the Commission’s media and public relations unit, the NCPC boss stated this Thursday while playing host to a delegation from the Uke Kingdom of Nasarawa state in Abuja.
He noted that monarchs were the “custodians of our cultural heritage,” adding that “if the royal fathers are allowed to play the role they were used to in the past, they would certainly make the difference, especially in addressing the present security challenges in the country.”
Rev. Pam described Uke Kingdom as “a very quiet and peaceful community which is contiguous to the Federal Capital Territory, stressing that “you are a peaceful community.”
He called on other royal fathers across the country to learn from the peaceful co-existence of the Uke people.
Speaking earlier, the Yakanaje of Uke Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Hassan, said they were at the Commission to congratulate the executive secretary on his well-deserved appointment as the NCPC helmsman.
“We are here to lend a helping hand to you in your peace-building initiatives and to congratulate you on your well-deserved appointment. The Uke Kingdom of Nasarawa state has established a very sound Peace Technical Committee to promote peace with members drawn from different denominations and tribes,” he said.
Banditry, others: Matawalle directs communities to defend themselves
By Sanusi Muhammad
Gusau
The Zamfara state governor, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has directed communities across the state not to fold their arms and watch criminals to attack them, but to defend themselves where necessary.
Matawalle gave the directive on Friday during a special sermon session to mark his second year anniversary in office held at Gusau Eid ground.
“We must tell our people to defend themselves and their respective domains whenever these dreaded groups of recalcitrant bandits attempt to attack them before they could get any response from the security personnel,” he said.
He described the activities of the bandits in the state as “callous and inhumane,” vowing that his administration would continue to give the necessary support to the federal government in its fight against banditry in the entire North-east.
Governor Matawalle had early last year introduced a peace reconciliation process with bandits’ groups following which hundreds of them surrendered their arms and embraced peace while those who refused to surrender still continued to attack communities on a daily basis.
According to the governor, “henceforth, both informants and kidnappers if arrested will be executed according to the law.”
“Let me make it categorically clear that both informants who are assisting bandits and kidnappers if arrested in my state will be vanquished irrespective of his origin inclinations.”
He called on indigenes to always pray for the return of relative peace and to remain calm and law-abiding by supporting the federal and state governments in their efforts to rid the state and the country of criminal elements.
