The First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Friday said that political leaders in the country would soon regret the consequences of the worsening insecurity in the country unless they wake up and arrest the menace.
Mrs Buhari lambasted state governors and ministers over the inability of some Nigerians to access potable water as well as the political officeholders’ lack of action in arresting the rising insecurity across the country.
Speaking in Abuja at the General Assembly of the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the First Lady said there was the need for stakeholders to support President Muhammadu Buhari to fight insecurity.
According to her, the rising insecurity, which is as a result of injustice, has made it impossible for many political officeholders to travel to their states and villages and live peacefully.
While lamenting the level of insecurity, the president’s wife said if the needful was not done, political leaders would regret the outcome soon.
“I have listened to the speech of his Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, where he talked about justice and the Minister of Communications talked about justice and injustice and I think he did not mention the consequences of injustice.
“The conference is timely and this is the right time to address the problems in Nigeria. The problems have been escalating from one thing to the other. Thinking that General Muhammadu Buhari will solve it alone, he cannot do it alone. We have to work together to make sure that we do the needful. As Muslims, we operate within the guidelines of Islamic injunctions.
“We must do justice to ourselves. As a result of long time of injustice done to others, today, most of us cannot go to our villages and sleep with our two eyes closed. We all know that and it is moving forward and forward.
“My husband has three years to go. We should fasten our seat belts, get up and do the needful or we will all regret it very soon, because at the rate which things are going, things are completely out of hand. The vice president is here, ministers are here. They are supposed to do justice to whatever. People cannot afford potable, drinking water in this country. We have ministers, we have governors.
“Since this is the highest decision-making body of Islamic affairs, for those that are Muslims, we should fear God and we know that one day we will return to God and account for our deeds here. I hope that the decisions, debates and engagements here today will be fruitful with a view to reaching realistic decisions for shaping our lives as a nation,” Mrs Buhari said.
In his address, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo emphasised the need for Muslims and Christians to coexist peacefully as a nation.
He highlighted incidents where Christians and Muslims had defended one another in times of violence.
He, however, expressed hope that the recommendations of the meeting with the theme ‘Islam and National Development’ would be used to consolidate on the ongoing development across the country.
In his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the NSCIA, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, said the General Assembly/National Executive Council meeting would address some of the challenges facing Islam in Nigeria such as the almajiri system and hijab wearing in schools.
