Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State, has extended his congratulations to the nation’s Muslims on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir.
The governor urged Muslims to recommit themselves to obeying the orders of the Almighty Allah and to ponder on the true meaning of the Islamic festival by remembering those who have less luxury.
In a statement released on Saturday, Richard Olatunde, Akeredolu’s chief press secretary, outlined his message.
The governor, who had previously ordered all public buildings and religious institutions to install closed-circuit television systems, again urged Muslims to do the same in all of their mosques.
He said, “The Eid-El-Kabir is more than just a celebration. It reflects the gains in obedience and trust in the Almighty Allah. It preaches sacrifice that must be made for renewed hope.
“We urge our Muslim brothers and sisters to imbibe the lessons of this season. We must be deliberate in our commitment to promote peace and tolerance in our daily lives. Our commitment to the cause of humanity must be unwavering.
“This celebration is another opportunity to express and show the uniqueness of the Islamic faith.
“As Muslims, we must show to the world that our faith teaches peace, tolerance and charity. We must join our voices to fight the enemies of the people who are daily visiting untold terror on innocent citizens.
“We must stand against terror acts and resist these calculated attacks on the people and the country at large. Let us support the government at all levels to defeat these cowards whose only aim is to kill and maim innocent people.
“On our part, we shall continue to prioritize the security of lives and property of our people. We have seen the need to redouble our efforts. We have put in place necessary security measures to further deepen our efforts to make the State safe. No human life will be cheapened under our watch.
“We call on all our mosques to install, use and maintain CCTV devices and other secret cameras in their premises as well as employ well-trained security personnel to man the entry and exit points to their premises.”
Additionally, Akeredolu urged the populace to exercise caution and alert security services to any suspicious faces or movements.
“Give our security agencies, in particular the Amotekun corps, all necessary support. Any attempt to undermine the good works of the Amotekun corps will be counterproductive.
“We also call on our people, particularly our students not to embark on mob actions that sell them out as supporting criminality in any guise. Students have a duty to expose known criminals around,” Akeredolu said.
The governor promised appropriate protection before, during, and after Eid-El-Kabir, noting that members of the Amotekun Corps and other security organizations had been stationed in key locations around the state to uphold law and order.
