Governor Bello Matawalle has restated the government’s commitment to restore peace in Zamfara, lamenting that Muslims’ deviation from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad is fuelling banditry in the North.

“Islam is peace. We cannot practise it without peace. Hence I call on all and sundry to imbibe the spirit of peaceful coexistence so that we can have the blessing of Allah. We have had more than a fair share of unnecessary conflicts and unwanted criminal activities that breach the peace in our state,” Mr Matawalle pointed out. “It is because many of us choose to deviate from the teachings of our dear Prophet.”

This is contained in a statement issued by his media aide Zailani Bappa on Monday in Gusau.

“Today is the official day set aside by the Government of Nigeria to celebrate this year’s Maulud, the birthdate of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” said the governor. “I join millions of our Muslim population in the state and beyond in celebration of this auspicious period.”

He added, “Indeed, more than 14 centuries ago, Allah bestowed on this world a blessing which marks His major mercy on mankind by sending his last Messenger to guide us to true salvation. Our celebration is a mark of our gratitude to the Almighty for this special favour unto us.”

The Zamfara governor admonished Muslims on the teachings of the prophet as much as they could to enable them to live “a peaceful, blessed and fruitful life here and in the hereafter.”

The governor tasked clerics in Zamfara to preach messages of peace and peaceful coexistence among Muslims at the grassroots to tackle banditry and other crimes.

He attributed youths’ involvement in banditry, kidnapping and other crimes in Zamfara to the level of ignorance of the exemplary life of the prophet. This, he said, “contributed to the proliferation of negative tendencies as we see in vices” such as banditry, theft and drug addiction.

“Therefore, as we celebrate this special day, I enjoin us not to forget the essence of the celebration so that we can all reflect back and change our ways of life for the better,” Mr Matawalle stated. “I wish everyone a very memorable event.”

(NAN)