The Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), has urged Christians to take advantage of the Christmas services and supplications to pray for the country to overcome her security challenges.
Gen Magashi gave the charge in a statement felicitating with Christians on the occasion of Christmas celebration.
He urged Christians to be Christ-like in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ by showing compassion to fellow Nigerians irrespective of religious differences and to pray for peace in the country.
The Defence Minister harped on the need for peaceful co-existence, unity and peace especially as the country is fighting insurgency, banditry and kidnapping among other criminal tendencies.
He said the season is the reason to turn to God in fervent prayer to crown the sacrifices of our fighting forces to attain maximum victory over the adversaries.
He also, assured that the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari will not allow their sacrifices to go unrewarded.
Gen. Magashi, therefore, noted that the least appreciation Nigerians can show to the nation’s gallant soldiers who are fighting patriotically so that the citizens can sleep with their eyes closed (even when they themselves can’t afford to sleep) is to pray for them and be security conscious at this auspicious time.
He thanked the leadership of the services and heads of security agencies and their civilian counterparts for the recent feat attained in the timely rescue and return of the kidnapped students in Kankara, Katsina State.
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In a statement by Muhammad Abdulkadiri said, the Minister tasked the troops in various locations to be focused in invigorating their firing power and to hold the ground resolutely without allowing any crack on the walls of national defence.
