The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on Nigerian Muslims to use the opportunity offered by the Ramadan period to pay for peace and security in the country. The forum in a statement issued today in Kaduna by its National Publicity Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim also urged terrorists and other criminals in the country to embrace dialogue and spare the country further sorrows.

ACFsaid: “The Holy month of Ramadan has commenced in which Muslims all over the world keep fast abstaining from eating, drinking, sexual pleasure and other unlawful activities as decreed by Almighty Allah. The Holy Quran as a guidance for mankind, with evident demonstration and clear proofs leading to the right path, which also teaches Muslims to distinguish between good and evil was revealed in the month of Ramadan.

“The period of Ramadan is therefore not only for Muslims to abstain from food and drink but to reflect and devote themselves to the teachings of the Holy Quran, practices and sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). It is also an occasion for Muslims to reaffirm their belief in the oneness of Almighty Allah and commitment to the ideals of Islam. Fasting also entails helping the less fortunate and poor in our midst in view of the prevailing economic hardship and inequality nationwide.

“ACF wishes the Muslim Community a peaceful, rewarding and blissful Ramadan fast. It equally urges Muslims to devote themselves to prayers for unity, peaceful coexistence and the courage to overcome the security challenges confronting Nigeria.

“ACF urges the perpetrators of insurgency, terrorism, killing and destruction of innocent lives and property, kidnapping, armed robbery etc to embrace peaceful dialogue especially in this Holy month as a solution to their grievances.

“ACF calls on our leaders to demonstrate love, fairness and equity in all their dealings while the followers should also pray for God’s guidance to our leaders.”

In his own message, Governor of Kaduna State, Dr. Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, congratulated the Muslim Ummah for witnessing the beginning of another holy month of Ramadan.

Yero in a statement by his Director General Media and Publicity, Mallam Ahmed Maiyaki, rejoiced with Muslims on the sighting of the moon signaling the beginning of 29 or 30 days of obligatory fasting by all adult-health Muslims.

Governor Yero called on Muslims to take full advantage of the holy month by forging greater unity within them Ummah and with adherents of other faiths in the country.

“Let us seize this divine mercy through worship and prayer for Allah Almighty to bring the present spate of insecurity in our land to an end. Ramadan is a period of enormous divine grace and salvation, it is therefore a time for to pray for Allah’s mercy in bringing lasting peace and harmony to Kaduna State and Nigeria at large,” the governor said.

He also called on privileged Muslims to assist those in need “especially in this holy month when Allah (SWT) promises to reward kindness abundantly.”

Dr. Yero called on the people of Kaduna State to continue to coexist peacefully irrespective of their diversity, saying: “We are all created by God Almighty and the only way to glorify God’s gift of life to us is by living peacefully with one another.”

The governor wished the entire Muslim Ummah peaceful and spiritually rewarding Ramadan period.

•Photo shows ACF National Chairman IbrahimCoomassie.