The Muslim Community in Offa, Kwara state, yesterday organised a special prayer to ward off unforeseen calamity and to attract unity, peace and socio-economic development into the community.
The News Agency of Nigeria gathered that the prayer, held at the Offa Central Mosque, might not be unconnected with the recent armed robbery attack in the community.
It would be recalled that some armed bandits had, on Thursday, raided five commercial banks in the town, killing some police officers and residents, and carted away undisclosed amounts of cash in the process.
At least 17 persons, including eight police officers, were confirmed killed in the incident.
The prayer, led by the Deputy Chief Imam of the mosque, Qosim Olatunji, witnessed recitation from the holy Qur’an and other supplications by selected Qur’anic students whose ages are not above 10 years.
Olatunji said the prayer was intended to seek God’s adequate protection of life and property for the indigenes and non-indigenes, economic prosperity and peaceful co-existence among the people.
He described the robbery as one which required the collective responsibility of every stakeholder, especially through prayers to nip such crime in the bud.
“Our prayer is to seek Almighty Allah’s protection, unity, peace and tranquility in our dear community, Offa, the state and the country in general.
“More importantly, we prayed Allah in His infinite mercy to unravel the perpetrators as well as their collaborators of this dastardly act,” he said.
The President, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Nojim Yasin, said the prayer had been a continuous exercise for the safety and unity of the community.
Yasin, who was accompanied by the General Secretary, Offa Descendants Union, Wosilat McCarthy, implored the authority to find a lasting solution to the menace of bank robberies in parts of the country.
“This is a calamity and we have no other thing than prayer, that is why we have put prayers first for the unity and safety of the people of our community,” he said.
