Bauchi community declares prayers, fasting over deaths of prominent people

Locals in Zaar community, popularly known as Sayawa in Bauchi State, have declared a seven day prayers and fasting to seek God’s intervention over the continued deaths of prominent people from the community.

The Gun Zaar sect of the Zaar Chiefdom in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas of Bauchi State, Air Commodore Ishaku Komo (rtd), who declared the prayers and fasting in a speech at the burial of a retired Warrant Officer of the Nigerian Army and the father-in-law of Yakubu Dogara, the immediate past speaker of the House of Representatives, Stephen Gonto, at the Church of Christ in Nations, Mwari, Bogoro LGA.

• ‘Abominable Ambassadors’ — PDP rejects appointment of ex-Service Chiefs
• How $1m intervention brought succour for Gombe pregnant women

Komo said they were saddened by the deaths of prominent people in recent times, adding that the spiritual exercise was to seek for God’s forgiveness and intervention in the Zaar Chiefdom.

Although, he did not give the list of those that died recently in the community, North-East Trust gathered that besides Gonto, who died on December 25th, 2020 at 78, another prominent indigene that died in the area was an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), in charge of Zone 8, comprising of Kogi, Kwara and Ekiti states, Yunana Babas. He died on January 14th, 2021 from an undisclosed ailment.

“We have been passing through troubled times in Zaar Chiefdom, we prayed to God to have mercy on our land and stop the deaths. We, in Zaar Chiefdom, have experienced so many deaths in recent times and we are saddened and pained by these deaths. We don’t really understand what is happening, but I am declaring a seven day prayer and fasting for us to seek the face of God,” he said.

He continued: “I know CAN (Christian Association of Nigeria) in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro LGAs previously led the people on three days prayer and fasting but I want them to please, put heads together with us (the Chiefdom) to plan this exercise.’’

In his tribute, the former Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, who represents Dass/Bogoro/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency, described his father-in-law as a brave man.

Dogara’s wife, who is the first daughter of the deceased, said: “If given another opportunity to choose father, I would choose you again and again as a father, who made a difference.