From: Ali Abare, Gombe
A Shia group in Gombe State, the Ahalul Bayti Muslim Committee, an affiliate of the Rasullulah Ahazam, has held a special prayer session for President Muhammadu Buhari.
The group said that concerns over the health status of President Buhari informed its decision of the group to organise a special prayer to seek God’s intervention for a quick recovery for the President.
Spokesman for the group, Malam Badamasi Adamu Ali, told journalists in Gombe, on Monday, that the group also prayed for the country considering the prevailing challenges.
While commending other Islamic groups that joined in the prayer session which held at the Gombe central mosque, Ali used the opportunity to dispel insinuations suggesting that members of the Shia sect are anti-government.
According to him, “We wish to partner with all well wishers from across the country to pray for a quick recovery for the President.
“It’s to our knowledge that for the past six weeks the President has gone on a health leave and it’s because of this we organized this special prayers.
“Another reason for the prayer session is to put matters right regarding the Shia group. It’s unfortunate that whenever one mentions Shia, people assume the group is anti-government. We want to make it clear that Rasullulah Ahazam is a registered Shia organization and we recognise the laws of the land, we are Nigerians and we have any other country than Nigeria.”
Ali strongly dissociated the group from those seen to be taking hard stance on government’s decision to detain Mallam El-Zakzakhy.
Ali continued, “We don’t have any misgivings on the arrest and detention of Mallam Elzakzakhy by the authorities. If he went against the law, let him pay for his actions but if he did nothing, then let the government release him” he said.
The group equally distanced itself from those alleged to be wishing death for the President.
“We wish to dissociate ourselves from those nursing whatever grudges about the leadership or quality of leadership. Shism or being a Shia does not make you anti-Nigeria. Shism is an ideology just like any Islamic ideology. We are Nigerians and as such we wish our leaders and country well,” he explained.