Former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has expressed the belief that the recent wave of attacks in some northern states were not carried out by Fulani herdsmen.
He said Nigerians should rather blame miscreants, who disguise as Fulani herdsmen to wreak havoc on innocent Nigerians.
Gen. Gowon, who led a delegation of the Nigeria Prays Movement which he heads, on a visit to Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State in Abakaliki, the state capital said: “I find it difficult to believe that it is the Fulani herdsmen who are predominantly little children that cause the mayhem in some parts of the country.
“These children carry sticks and lead their cattle on pasture across the country, but now some people put-on Fulani clothes and perpetrate crisis.
“The question is how the transformation from little cattle herders to criminals took place, as we should continue to pray that God touches the hearts of these disgruntled elements to change”.
The elder statesman described prayer as the main weapon to solve the numerous security challenges confronting the nation.
“The power of prayer is stronger than all physical powers we have as when it touches our souls, we become the right instruments God wants us to be”, he stressed.
He added: “In the Bible, Saul was persecuting the Christians, but when God’s power touched him, he became the strongest disciple that ever propagated God’s word”.
He said that the ferocity of the security challenges in the country makes it imperative for Nigerians to turn to God in prayer to seek divine intervention in the restoration of peace in the country.
He also requested residents of Ebonyi State to turnout in their numbers today for the prayer summit scheduled for Abakaliki by Nigeria Prays.
In his response, Gov. Elechi thanked Gowon for his fatherly role in the country and for leading the vanguard to salvage the country through prayers.
He said of the former military ruler: “Gowon became head of state at the age of 31, bravely waded through the civil war period and is now leading ordained men of God to seek solutions to the nation’s problems.
“He has remained relevant in all regimes since leaving office, both military and civilian, and he insults no one but gives fatherly advice to successive governments”.
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