Hunger Protest: Sultan Calls For Calm, Cautions Against Escalation

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General JNI, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called for calm, restraint and caution to Nigerians against the ongoing nationwide hunger protest.

The Sultan appealed to the protest conveners, their covert and overt benefactors, and other critical stakeholders to sheath their swords and urgently come to the table for dialogue.

In a statement by the Secretary-General, JNI Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the Sultan said the caliphate feared genuine escalation to an uncontrollable scenario, and the reports are tilting towards that.

He said, “Therefore, we, in the name of Allah, the Highest, call for an end to the snowballing rampaging, in the name of protest. We should all understand that there must be a stable country called Nigeria before we can proudly call ourselves Nigerians.

With tomorrow being Friday, Jumu’ah mosque Imams and Muslim leaders are implored to calm nerves and call on the Ummah to appreciate peace rather than a chaotic state of affairs, which may even deny us congregational prayers.

He continued, “The Qur’anic guidance in trying moments remains. “When the suffering reached them from us, why then did they not learn humility?” Qur’an 6:43. Hence, sober reflection, sincere humility and continued prayer to Allah, the Ever Merciful, is the antidote to the quagmire. The Prophet (peace  be upon him) said, “supplication is a weapon of the believer and the light of the heavens and the Earth”.

“ Let’s be in continued prayers for Allah’s apt intervention”.

The Royal father said, “All Imams are equally called upon to commence sustained supplications and prayers at this moment of grief, through Qunootun-Nawazil (special prayers at calamitous periods in the last Raka’ah of each obligatory prayer and non-obligatory prayers). This call

has become imperative bearing in mind that the protest is getting out-of-hand, and the consequence of which may be too heavy on the West-African sub-region”.

The Sultan further called on all Majaalis (knowledge-seeking gatherings), Halqas (study circles), Madaaris and Makarantun Allo (Islamic schools), as well as the leadership of all Muslim organisations and societies in Nigeria to commence special prayers in calamitous situations and trying times (Qunootun-Nawazil), and seek Allah’s compassion for Nigeria.

He said, “A clarion call is therefore made to all leaders and the Nigerian citizens to fear Allah, for it is through such a spiritual medium that Allah’s intervention descends with full assurance from Him, the Ever Merciful. Muslims are also urged to be introspective and embrace more Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) through the glorification of Allah, Istighfar (seeking Allah’s forgiveness) and ceaseless Du’a (prayers and invocations) for ease and relief in these trying moments.

Nevertheless, the Sultan of Sokoto implores the President Federal Republic of Nigeria to address the nation by assuring all Nigerians that peace, security, stability, and relief to hardship and food security would be achieved under his stewardship, inshallah.”

The Royal father further called on Governors to calm fray nerves as silence is no longer golden.