Hundreds of Muslims converged at the residence of the speaker of Zamfara House of Assembly, Hon. Nasiru Mu’azu Magarya in Gusau Monday, to observe absentee funeral prayers for his late father.
Magarya died in Bandits den last week.
The funeral prayers was led by the state chairman Ulamas Consultative Forum, Sheik Abubakar Fari, along with the speaker, Magarya, prominent Islamic scholars, top government officials and hundreds of Muslims across the state.
In an interview with Blueprint shortly after the funeral prayers, Sheik Jangebe who was also a former Commissioner for Religious Affairs and currently, Imam of Muslims Foundation Juma’at Mosque, Gusau, described the incident as unfortunate.
He said the absentee funeral prayers was a tradition of the Prophet Muhammad when he allowed Muslims to observe it in the absence of the deceased body.
“It is in the tradition of our noble Prophet Muhammad, to conduct that kind of the funeral prayers to the deceased who is dead but we can’t find out his body,” Sheik Jangebe stated.
He called on Muslims to continue prayers patiently for Almighty Allah’s intervention to end the lingering insecurity challenges facing the entire northern part of the country and Nigeria at large.
Blueprint had on Saturday reported that the father of Speaker Zamfara House of Assembly, Alhaji Muazu Abubakar Magarya who was kidnaped eight weeks ago along with his wife, three- week- old baby and three others was said to be dead in bandit’s captivity as a result of heart failure.
The confirmation of his death was disclosed by the elder brother to father of the speaker, known as Malam Dahiru Saraki Magarya in an interview with Blueprint shortly after their unconditional rescue by the police in collaboration with military at the command headquarters, in Gusau.
Saraki Magarya said it was one of bandit’s kingpin, popularly known as Kachalla, that informed him a day to their rescue by the security agencies that his brother died of heart failure while in captivity.
