NIGERIA: Nigerian Muslims pray for abducted schoolgirls as protests for their return continue
Record ID:
236758
NIGERIA: Nigerian Muslims pray for abducted schoolgirls as protests for their return continue
- Title: NIGERIA: Nigerian Muslims pray for abducted schoolgirls as protests for their return continue
- Date: 25th May 2014
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (MAY 25, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF NATIONAL MOSQUE VARIOUS OF SECURITY OFFICIALS IN FRONT OF MOSQUE INTERIOR OF MOSQUE, MUSLIM LEADER RECITING FROM THE KORAN VARIOUS OF MUSLIMS PRAYING (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEPUTY CHIEF IMAM OF THE NATIONAL MOSQUE IN ABUJA, AHMAD ONILEWURA, SAYING: "Today's prayer is for peace, harmony, tranquility, understanding, to live in one community as human being, as a suffering country to live with love and affection and to pray to Allah to return those girls that were taken away. We pray to Allah to return them to us in peace, not in pieces." MAN SITTING WITH PRAYER BEADS PAGES OF THE KORAN MUSLIMS READING THE KORAN VARIOUS OF MUSLIMS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ABUJA RESIDENT, USMAN MOHAMMAD, SAYING: "Boko Haram, as they say, to me as a sincere Muslim, I would say Boko Haram are proclaimed Muslims, because they are not a real Muslim, because a real Muslim will not kill, because our religion teaches us to embrace each other, teaches us to embrace all people around us irrespective of their religion, tribe and ethnicity. There is no sectionalism in the Islam, there is no tribalism in the Islam, you know? So these people came in, I don't know where their Islam is coming about, because Islam means peace, and peace with man and peace with God." MUSLIMS SEATED INSIDE MOSQUE LISTENING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SEATED AND LISTENING TO CO-ORDINATOR ON MEGAPHONE PROTESTERS SEATED IN FRONT OF BANNER READING (English): "RESCUE OUR CHIBOK GIRLS" PROTESTERS SEATED ON GROUND AND WRITING PROTESTERS SINGING
- Embargoed: 9th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Crime
- Reuters ID: LVA1B1HF9ZP8PO2YQCQWXTF2SBOJ
- Story Text: Muslims in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on Sunday (May 25) held national prayers calling for peace, unity and the safe return of more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist rebel group Boko Haram from a secondary school in Chibok on April 14.
Around one thousand Muslims gathered to pray at the National Mosque in the city.
Ahmad Onilewura, the Deputy Chief Imam of the mosque, said they wanted the safe return of the teenagers.
"Today's prayer is for peace, harmony, tranquility, understanding to live in one community as human being, as a suffering country to live with love and affection and to pray to Allah to return those girls that were taken away. We pray to Allah to return them to us in piece, not in pieces," he said.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and the military have come under intense criticism for their slow reaction to the mass abduction.
The abductions have triggered a world-wide social media campaign under the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, and prompted the United States, Britain, France and Israel to offer help or send experts to Nigeria.
Usman Mohammed, a Muslim living in Abuja, said any claim Boko Haram had to Islam was undermined by their actions.
"They are not a real Muslim, because a real Muslim will not kill, because our religion teaches us to embrace each other, teaches us to embrace all people around us irrespective of their religion, tribe and ethnicity," he said.
"There is no sectionalism in the Islam, there is no tribalism in the Islam you know, so these people came in, I don't know where their Islam is coming about, because Islam means peace, and peace with man and peace with God," he added.
Meantime, daily protests are continuing in the capital.
Demonstrators have vowed to continue their protests until the safe return of the girls. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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