SHEHU OF BORNO CALLS FOR 3 DAYS PRAYER, FASTING •ARMY ARRESTS BOKO HARAM SUSPECTS IN KADUNA.

The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai, has called on residents of Borno State to turn to God by submitting themselves for a three-day fast beginning tomorrow and ending on Thursday, to seek divine intervention and end the Boko Haram insurgency in the resurgence of killings by the Islamic sect.

The royal father stated this on Monday, in Maiduguri, saying that the fast was to ask for Allah’s help in restoring peace to the state.
“I am appealing to all residents of the state to observe a three-day fasting to seek Allah’s mercy towards ending the crisis facing us,”he said.

“I believe we should continue to seek  Allah’s help in restoring peace to the state.”

He said that the human and material devastation caused by the renewed killings by terrorists was unfortunate, saying there could be no other time to seek God’s intervention for Borno State than now, when government was also showing commitment to end the crises.
He said, although, special prayers would be held in mosques and churches during the period, he implored residents to remain relentless in their prayers afterwards.

The Shehu's directive came on the same day the Borno State Civilian JTF pleaded  material and financial support from the Federal Government as contribution to its members for their efforts towards maintaining of peace in the state.

According to one of them,  Iliasu Saidu, the motivation would help boost their morale in contributing their quarter in the fight against insurgents, adding that while vehicles would aid the movement of the over 2,500 youths that formed their number, an allowance would serve as a steady source of livelihood while also motivating them for the challenge.

“Borno is Nigeria and the people fomenting violence and the killings are Nigerians.

“If we can have assistance from the Federal Government, it will help us to achieve peace," he said.

Borno is a beautiful state that must not be taken over by hoodlums.”

Meanwhile, suspected Boko Haram members were arrested in Kaduna, by soldiers from the 1Mechanised Division of the nigerian Army at a   building located at Tashar Kanawa near Badarawa community in Kaduna North Local Government Area after exchanging gunshots.

The house in which they had lived was demolished because fire arms were found inside the building, the Army spokesman in Kaduna,Lt.Col Usman Abdul had said.

Residents of the area told journalists on Monday that the development brought a relief to them because the culprits had been terrorizing the area.

According to the Mai Anguwa, "when gunshot were fired from the building,this attracted the attention of the neighbourhood who alerted the security."

One Mohammed Yusuf, a resident in the affected area,said his second wife who live opposite the demolished house called him to inform him of the gun shot, adding that his wife later called back to inform him that military personnel have condoned off the area and there seems to be gun battle between the soldiers and the suspects.

"Two sons of the owner of the demolished building and a tenant were said to have been whisked away by the military personnel. Malam Sani the owner of the house who was not around as at the time of the incidence was said to have surrendered himself to the military when he came back to his house."

Another eye witness, said the military returned back to the area with bulldozers and demolished the house.

source: Tribune.