2019: We are not relenting to secure peace for our nation – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, reiterated his appeal to all Nigerians to continue to live in peace to enable the nation witness giant strides in all fields of human endeavour.

The President made the appeal in Gombe at the opening ceremony of the 33rd National Qur’anic Recitation Competition, organised by the Centre for Islamic Studies, Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.

The President was represented at the occasion by Malam Suleiman Hassan, Minister of Environment.

He said: “We must strive to live in peace with one another. We must try and increase our intimacy or relationship amongst ourselves which will further strengthen our ties as a nation.

“This administration is not relenting to secure peace for our nation to grow further and to achieve such peace, we must increase our knowledge.

“Knowledge, both Islamic and Western, is an important recipe for peace and security.’’

Buhari also urged Nigerians to be of good conducts as the nation was preparing for the 2019 general elections.

The presidents further the people to shun hate speech and other undemocratic actions that could threaten the country peaceful co-existence.

In his remarks, Prof. Ibrahim Njodi, the Chairman of the occasion and Vice-Chancellor, University of Maiduguri, called on the participants to hold firm the tenets of Islam as a guiding light throughout the competition.

The chairman, who was represented by Prof. Sani Abdulmumuni, Dean of Faculty of Arts, University of Maiduguri, said the competition would strengthen the knowledge of Islam in youths.

Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, represented by the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar III, thanked the organisers for sustaining the competition over the years.

Alhaji Isa Pantami, the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Abuja, who is the Quest speaker stressed the need for Muslim faithful to always reflect on what the Holy Qur’an says.

Ibrahim, who stressed that tolerance and peace were necessary for Muslim faithful, emphasised that killing of an innocent soul, irrespective of religious belief, was un-Islamic.

In his speech, Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State assured the participants of the state government support toward achieving the objective of the competition. 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory,(FCT) are participating in the competition which holds between Dec. 28 and Jan.5, 2019. (NAN)