By Amidu Arije
The increase in the spate of kidnappings and banditry across the country has been associated with bad leadership and injustice.
This was the submission of the Amir (President) of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, Dr. Saheed Ashafa, at the annual Iftar (breaking of fasting) programme tagged ‘Iftar 5000 for Muslims’ across the state, held at the Lagos State Secretariat Mosque, Alausa, Ikeja.
According to him, “What is basically responsible for banditry and kidnapping in the country is a result of injustice on the part of our leaders.
“Many homes are hungry, many are suffering and starving. Of course, that you are hungry and starving does not imply that you should begin to resolve to kidnapping and kidnapping, but when justice returns to our land, when our leaders have the spirit of kindness to the led, then we are going to see these things been reduced in our society,” he said.
Dr. Ashafa, however, sounded a note of warning to bandits and kidnappers in the country to desist from their evil acts, while reminding them that they would one day meet with their Lord to accounts for their activities while on earth.
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He continued, “Those who uphold all these evil acts, we just have to remind them that it is not the right thing to do.
“They should remember that very soon or later they are going to meet their Lord; I just appeal that they should drop these evil acts and leave like any other peaceful persons in the society,” he said.
Speaking on the essence of ‘Iftar 5000’, Ashafa said it was meant to bring succor to the less-privilege in the society and also to remind the well-to-do to always extend hands of good deeds to the have-nots.
“This programme is meant to bring succor and hope to the less privilege in the society because we have fed about 5,000 fasting Muslims.
“It is meant to teach and remind the Muslim community that it is the right way to go to bring succor to the less privilege,” he said.
As part of activities for the iftar programme, Ashafa said prayers were offered for peaceful handing over of power on 29 May, he also said the group prayed for the safety release of Leah Sharibu who had been in Boko Haram captive for months now and other abducted Chibok girls.
“We have prayed for the nation for smooth handling over, we have prayed for Leah Sharibu who is n the hands of her abductors to release her and other remaining Chibok girls in the hands of Boko Haram,” he said.
