Former Head of States and National Chairman of Nigeria Prays, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), on Sunday, led the group in a prayer rally for peace in the North-East zone and Nigeria at large.

Speaking during the one-day prayer rally organised by Nigeria Prays, North-East zone held in Bauchi, with the theme, ‘The Lord of hosts is with us’, Gowon said the purpose of the rally was to fervently intercede for the country, most especially in this troubling times.

He said the group from all the Northeastern zone gathered in Bauchi to seek God’s mercies and blessings on Nigeria.

This, he said, was to appease the political, social and economic well-being of Bauchi State and the entire North-East zone as they grapple with issues of terrorism, insurgencies and various kinds of insecurity and criminality.

“Lord, as your people, we bring confession of the needless bloodshed, killings, and attacks by the dreadful Boko Haram insurgents, banditry and the spate of kidnappings and all kinds of evil in various parts of the country.

“Lord, we plead for your forgiveness, mercy, and cleansing of the land,” he prayed.

Gowon, who noted that the country is faced with numerous challenges, urged all Christian faithful and other religions in the country to pray to God to help with the solutions to those problems.

“We pray that the land of Bauchi and the entire North-East zone shall receive God’s divine visitation and deliverance from insurgency.

“May this war of insecurity end in Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Yobe, Bauchi and indeed in the whole country,” Gowon prayed.

In his speech, Governor Bala Mohammad of Bauchi State commended Gowon and other organisers of the prayer.

He said because insecurity, the state accommodated people escaping from their crisis zone, adding that Bauchi’s population had risen from 4.6 million to 7.5 million.

“We also need prayers because we have more than 1.3 million out-of-school children and we need prayers to overcome agents of darkness and underdevelopment,” Mohammad said.

Source:- NAN