Eid-il-Fitr: Sultan advises FG on ASUU strike, rising food prices

The Federal Government must urgently find solution to the current nationwide strike by university lecturers, the Sultan of Sokoto and the President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has said.

He also called on the government to address the twin problem of inflation and insecurity in the country.

These are contained in the Sultan’s Eid-il-Fitr message released on Friday and signed by the NSCIA’s Director of Administration, Zubairu Usman-Ugwu,

He specifically urged security agencies to up their game in order to address the country’s dangerous security situation.

He urged traders to desist from the habit of arbitrarily increasing the price of food items, just as he appealed to Muslims to exercise their rights to contest for elective positions and participate actively in the electoral process by not only obtaining their Permanent Voters Cards, but also casting their votes on the election days.

The statement read in part, “The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, felicitates with the Nigerian Muslim Ummah and indeed the entire Muslim world on the auspicious occasion of the 1443 AH ‘Idul Fitr. We beseech Allah to grant everyone the opportunity to witness many more of it.

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“The council seizes the opportunity of Eid to express its serious concern about the skyrocketing prices of food and consumables in the country and appeal to the government to stem the tide of inflation while urging traders too to desist from the habit of arbitrarily increasing the price of food items.

“We appeal to ASUU and the Federal Government to find an amicable solution to the ongoing impasse/strike and not allow some unscrupulous individuals to mobilise students in the name of protests to destabilise the country;

“We call on security agencies to up their game and forcefully address the dangerous security situation in the country.

“We appeal to politicians to consider politics as a service to the Nation, which should not be pursued as a do-or-die affair. Nigerians should freely choose their leaders on the basis of those who will lead them with justice, fairness and character in the line with our usual prayer, ‘O Allah, make the best of us our leaders and don’t make the worst of us our leaders. Don’t make us, on account of our sins, be under those who will neither fear you nor be compassionate to us.

“We urge Muslims to exercise their rights to contest for elective positions and also participate actively in the electoral process by not only obtaining their Permanent Voters Cards, which is still ongoing but also casting their votes on the days of elections. The Council insists that it is a religious duty for every Muslim to obtain his/her voter’s card.”

The Sultan welcomed the policy of the Nigeria Police Force to allow female personnel to use a head covering and urged other military, paramilitary and security agencies to toe the line, stressing that it would promote inclusivity and civility in service.

The NSCIA, however, expressed serious concern about the persecution of Muslims, particularly in Bauchi and many southern states.

He urged Muslims to continue to exercise patience and restraint in the interest of peace and national development.

The council further enjoined Muslims all over the country to look out for the end of fasting announcement by the Sultan after the moon must have been sighted.