John Odhe, YENAGOA
The leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum and the Muslim community have described Bayelsa State as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria, attributing the enviable feat to the peace loving nature of the governor, Senator Douye Diri.
Leader of the Arewa community in the state, Alhaji Alhassan Maazu made the remarks during a visit to the chairman of the Bayelsa State Islamic Council, Alhaji Yakubu Otobo, in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Maazu noted that the only way to complement the governor’s peace effort was for Arewa and the Muslim community to forge a peaceful, united and formidable Islamic leadership devoid of rancour in the state.
Maazu, who was flanked by his vice chairman, Mallam Idris Abdulmumin, and other critical stakeholders of the Arewa community urged the Otobo led Islamic council to close ranks with all aggrieved members to sustain the peace in the state.
The Arewa leader promised to use his office to ensure that the issues bedeviling the Islamic council in the state were resolved amicably.
“It is peace that keeps us here. We left our various states to come and do business here in Bayelsa because the state is peaceful. What we don’t want is crisis,” Maazu warned.
Responding, the Islamic leader, Otobo, appreciated the Arewa leadership for the visit, which he noted had further solidified his leadership in the state.
He reiterated his commitment to working with every group in the Muslim community, including those who were still on the other side of the divide.
