The Nigerian Army on Friday, held a special Jumu’ah prayer in commemoration of the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) 2021 across its formations and units nationwide.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NADCEL is a week-long programme that is always climaxed on July 6.
The prayer in Abuja was led by the Director of Islamic Affairs (Army), Brig.-Gen. Shehu Mustapha at Army Headquarters Garrison Mosque, Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja.
The Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, attended the prayer in the company of the principal staff officers, while his wife, Mrs Salamatu led members of the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) to the prayer.
Addressing newsmen, the COAS said that the prayer was part of activities lined up to celebrate the 2021 NADCEL, adding that a similar prayer would be held at inter-denominational church services on Sunday.
He said that they were gathered to offer prayers for the army and its personnel in all parts of the country as well as the peace and progress of Nigeria.
We pray for our troops anywhere they are deployed for God to grant us success in all our operations and also for the repose of those who have lost their lives for the success of our country.
This event will also be held on Sunday and the grand finale will take place on Tuesday, July 6, when we will have awards and lectures,” he said.
The wife of the COAS and president of NAOWA, Mrs Salamatu Yahaya, said that the prayer was necessary considering the current security situation bedeviling the nation.
She urged the troops to be resilient in making effort to keep Nigeria safe and secure, while their wives would continue to pray for them from the home front.
The Director of Islamic Affairs, Brig.-Gen. Mustapha, said that prayer was key to every success of humankind while quoting from the Holy Quran chapter 4:1 and Q49:13.
Mustapha called for unity of all segments of the society irrespective of their religion, creed, ethnicity and tribe towards move in the nation forward, adding that God created everyman.
He said the wisdom behind God creating a nation called Nigeria and placed people of different origins together was for them to understand each other.
“It is our duty to cooperate with each other, appreciate each other and there is a need for mutual understanding and cooperation in everything we do.
“In the military, we do everything with the common intention which is unity in planning and execution, especially in the battlefield.
“That will help us to develop a love for each other, have respect for each other and caring for each other and with this in mind, we will be as to defeat every adversary confront g us,” he said. (NAN)
