No Religion Justifies Killing Of Innocent Civilians In Borno – Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has condemned the killing of innocent civilians following multiple explosions that claimed 25 lives in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, declaring that no religion supports violence against innocent people.

Shettima spoke on Tuesday at the closing ceremony of the Annual Ramadan Tafsir held at the State House Mosque in Abuja, where he expressed grief over the victims of the attack.

He stressed that the sanctity of human life remains a central teaching of all major world religions and prayed for divine mercy for those who lost their lives.

“May the lives of innocent souls — 25 of them — that lost their lives in Maiduguri last evening rest in peace,” the vice-president said.

“May Allah grant their souls eternal rest and reward them with His Al-jannah firdaus, and may Allah also grant their families the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses.

“May Allah bring this madness to an end. No religion endorses the killing of the innocent. Whatever that is motivating them, may Allah either guide them on to the right path or may Allah vanish them from the surface of the earth.”

Shettima called on Nigerians to continue praying for peace, stability and national progress, urging citizens to seek divine guidance for the country’s leadership.

He appealed to Nigerians to pray for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of his administration to be granted wisdom and courage in governing the nation.

According to him, the Ramadan season serves as a reminder of humility and accountability before God.

“And that no seat is permanent, just as no office is ultimate and no human being stands above his dependence on his creator,” he said.

“In the presence of Allah, the distance between the mighty and the unknown vanishes. What remains is character, what remains is accountability, what remains is what we did with the trust placed in our hands.”

The vice-president noted that spiritual gatherings help leaders remain grounded and conscious of moral responsibility.

“This is why gatherings such as this matter. They rescue public lives from arrogance; they return soul to scale; they teach those entrusted with authority that the nation is not built by policy alone, but by conscience; not by proclamation alone but by restraint; not by ambition alone but by fear of Allah.”

Shettima urged Muslims to sustain the lessons of Ramadan beyond the fasting period, warning against returning to habits that undermine unity and moral discipline.

“The question before us is not whether Ramadan is ending. The question is whether its teachings will continue to live in us after the moon has changed,” he said.

“A believer doesn’t spend the whole month learning only to become a captive of anger, greed and division.”

He added that Nigeria needs leaders and families who demonstrate values through conduct, stressing that influence should be treated as a responsibility rather than a privilege.

Earlier, the Chief Imam of the State House Mosque, Sheikh Abdulwaheed Abubakar, prayed for sustainable peace, national development and the success of the Tinubu administration’s policies and programmes.

The cleric also urged leaders at all levels to discharge their responsibilities with the fear of Allah to promote national development.