President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that Nigeria needs divine intervention to end Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and other social vices plaguing the country.
The President, who stated this at a national prayer session organised by the Kano State governor, however said the government is unrelenting in tackling the challenges.
Buhari was represented at the forum by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Shehuri.
He said: “Despite the support, there is a need to seek divine intervention for the Almighty to bring an end to the challenges.
“I am very happy with this initiative. Indeed Governor Abdullahi Ganduje is doing well in securing Kano and has given his quota to achieving peace in the country at large.
“No doubt, Nigeria is facing security challenges and we are doing our best to support the security personnel. That does not mean we should not seek divine intervention. This prayer session is part of the interventions and I commend the state governor for this.”
In his address, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje thanked the President for ensuring that the State is peaceful. He promised to make the prayer session an annual event.
But elsewhere, the President vowed to crush the murderous gangs with military might.
Buhari made the vow on Saturday while expressing sadness over the killing of villagers by bandits in Zamfara State.
Gunmen, during the week, killed no fewer than 60 people in five communities of Bukkuyum and Anka local government areas.
Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed through a statement that the President urged the affected communities to remain calm.
He said: “The latest attacks on innocent people by the bandits is an act of desperation by mass murderers, now under relentless pressure from our military forces who are well equipped to effectively confront these enemies of humanity.
“In keeping with my commitment to tackling the monster of terrorism head-on, let me reassure these besieged communities and other Nigerians that this government will not abandon them to their fate because we are more than ever determined to get rid of these outlaws.
“These criminals will be history because we are not going to relent in our current military operations to get rid of these thugs who have been terrorising innocent people.
“We are fiercely determined to smoke out and destroy these outlaws who have no regard for the sanctity of life.”