Islamic clerics brainstorm on promoting peace and security in the North

The clerics, at a 3-day capacity building workshop organised by the Muslim Community Centre (MCC), identified good governance as a prerequisite to peace and security, adding that leadership role of scholars cannot be overemphasised.
The scholars, according to the workshop coordinator, Dr. Muhammad Gambo Hamza, came from Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Plateau and Yobe states as part of measures taken by the centre to promote peace and security in Northern Nigeria.  
While presenting a paper titled, “The role of leadership and governance in maintenance of peace and security,” Dr. Ahmad Bello Dogarawa of the Accounting Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said protection of lives is one attribute of believers, adding that in Islam those who bring insecurity are to be fought.
“Not only is murder prohibited, any action or speech that can lead to harming a fellow Muslim is forbidden. Every non Muslim with whom we are not at war deserves to be protected and granted security,” he said.
While assessing how Islamic scholars have fared in their roles as leaders in the society, he said, “A good number of them are doing well and we also have a good number who are lacking in this area. Some of them, unfortunately, are fuelling the crisis in so many ways. It might not be intentional, but the good thing in Islam is that wrong is wrong and that is why people need to exercise caution and the fear of Allah in the discharge of their roles as leaders in the society.”
He however implored leaders at all levels to join hands to address the problem of insecurity and the lack of peace saying, “security is the business of every member of the society.”
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Chairman, Governing Board of Muslim Community Centre, Sen. U. K. Umar, said Muslim scholars and leaders are duty bound to play a major role in promoting peace and security in the country.
He said the effect of violence in the northern states is devastating, “the future of our society seems to be very bleak, unless drastic measures are taken to salvage it,” he said.
Umar said good governance assures the loyalty and support of the generality of citizens and creates the atmosphere for peace, security and prosperity to a very good extent, saying that the workshop is the first cycle and on completion, the second and third cycles would be embarked upon.  He however urged the participants to be steadfast in their Dawah activities.
The Deputy Imam of the National Mosque, Abuja, Mallam Ahmad Mohammed, while speaking at the event, said education and sound moral knowledge should be prioritised if peace and security are to be promoted in Northern Nigeria.
Participants at the workshop described it as timely, saying people in general are forgetting that peace is an essential ingredient in the society.
 “This workshop is not meant for only Muslims, it is meant for the generality of human race, you know it is not only the Muslims that live on their own, if you can carry the message of peace, then those around you will try to imbibe from you too,” said Hajia Bilikisu Agbaji Yahaya from Kogi state.