Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Maj.-Gen. Hassan Dada, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, has enjoined Nigerians to continue to make sacrifices for peace to engender progress and development.
Dada gave the charge on Sunday after the Eid-el-Kabir prayer at Eid prayer ground of Abakpa Military Cantonment, Enugu.
He noted that Nigerians must learn from the exemplary lifestyle of Prophet Ibrahim, who had to give his only son; but Almighty Allah (God) had to instruct him to sacrifice a ram instead.
According to him, for things to go right and for peace and security to prevail, we must as individuals and collectively as organisations make due sacrifices and people must always abide and respect constituted authorities enshrined by God and the nation’s authorities.
“If all of us submit to the Will of Almighty Allah and constituted authorities that is ordained by Almighty Allah; there is so much to benefit because Almighty Allah will also reward us bountifully.
“And for the government; what they are asking from us is to be law abiding and when we are law abiding definitely there will be progress in the land and peace as well.
“The insecurity in the land is because people are not ready to make sacrifices,” he said.
On the Area of Responsibility (AoR) of the Division, the GOC said that the entire South-East and Cross River State is abundantly blessed with natural endowments and human resources, adding that insecurity caused by very few had hindered the great potentials of the AoR.
“We are appealing to all living in South-East and Cross River State to continue to partner and assist the Division with prompt and actionable information to the Division to check all forms of criminal activities.
“I sincerely believe that with security and peace in the entire South-East and Cross River State; progress and development will blossom in this AoR,” Dada said.
In a sermon after the prayer, Chief Imam of 82 Division, Lt.-Col. Husein Eleje, urged all to live in peace with their neighbours as instructed by Almighty Allah, adding that “one way to ensure that is through sacrifice and commitment to the welfare of others.”
Eleje noted that when someone sacrifices to uplift others in life, the same person would ultimately get rewarded by Almighty Allah while men would accord him or her respect and reverence for such act of selflessness.
“I will want Muslim faithful and Nigerians to look out for ways to sacrifice and invest in the welfare, well-being and progress of others to build a peaceful and prosperous neighbourhood, community and society,” he said.
The chief Imam prayed for the peace and progress of the nation as well as Almighty Allah’s continued protection and wisdom on the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Tinubu; the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the GOC 82 Division, Commanders and troops.
Highlight of the special sallah prayer was the symbolic slaughtering of ram done by the chief Imam.
