Buhari urges pilgrims to pray for peaceful co-existence

President Muhammadu Buhari  on Monday urged Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia to pray for a peaceful coexistence among Nigerians and successful conduct of the 2019 general elections.

The president made the appeal at a National Prayers session organised by NAHCON among Nigerian pilgrims to mark the Arafat Day in Saudi Arabia

Represented by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Muhammadu Dodo, the president said Nigeria needed prayers at this critical period to surmount challenges on its way to attain greatness.

He urged the pilgrims to use the opportunity of the Arafat as the greatest day for mankind, to supplicate to Almighty Allah for the country’s economic and political growth.

Earlier, NAHCON Chairman Abdullahi Muhktar said only two Nigerians died since the beginning of the pilgrimage due to natural causes.

He expressed joy that all arrangements for the Hajj had been smooth and largely successful as all challenges faced during the conduct were addressed.

He commended the medical, feeding and other teams saddled with the task of executing the Hajj organisation for their contributions.

NAN reports that the prayers were offered in the major national languages mainly Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Kanuri, Fulfulde and Ogoni in Rivers.

The prayers focused mainly on the need for Nigeria to overcome challenges of kidnapping, insurgency, attain peaceful coexistence and hitch-free 2019 general elections.

All the clerics, who presided over the sessions prayed to Allah to grant President Buhari good health, ability to govern Nigeria successfully  and the entire leadership of Nigeria at all levels.

The national prayers session is an annual ritual organised by NAHCON to offer spiritual assistance to the leadership of the country and it holds on Arafat day due to its importance in Allah’s promise to answer supplications offered on the day.