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Ramadan: Ashraaf Foundation, Armed Forces wants citizen to balance religious rites, safety, national security

Published

3 years ago

March 31, 2024

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

Ashraaf Islamic Foundation, the Nigerian Armed Forces and others have called on Muslims across the country to always seeks ways to balance religious rites, public safety and national security.

They made the call at the 7th Annual Ramadan Lecture and Prayers for the Nation on Saturday in Abuja.

The Lecture with the theme; ‘Balancing Religious Rites and Public Safety: The Intersection of Ramadan, Hajj and National Security’ was organised by the Foundation.

The Chairman/Founder of the Foundation, Dr Sharafudeen Aliagan said the theme is a reflection of what is happening in the country, adding that it is wrong to sit on the fence when things are going wrong.

According to him, public safety and national security are very important in the life of each and everyone of us.

“So, we believe that in trying to observe the religious rites, we should be conscious of public safety and national security.

“Islam has five pillars as parts of the regions rites; strong believe in the oneness of Allah, believe in the messengers of Allah, Zakat, Fasting in the month of Ramadan and Hajj.

“In observing the Ramadan and fasting, we are to be conscious of public safety and national security. A fasting Muslim would not think of perpetrateling evil.

“He or she would be conscious of Allah along the spirit of Ramadan as a Holy Month, and it worthy to also note that, the Holy Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan.

“So all these will informed the consciousness of a fasting Muslim that Public safety and national security is very important and without them, we can’t have anything moving as far as the country is concerned,” Aliagan said.

He further explained that Hajj as one of the fifth pillars of Islam is one of the religious rites which a muslim must be well prepared before he or she observed it.

According to him, the preparation include, the consciousness of worshipping Allah, fear of God, closeness to Allah and having a clean heart.

He stressed that a Muslim could not go to Hajj with an evil mind, adding that Islam is peace, harmony amd tranquility, and in going to hajj, one has to be conscious of peace, harmony amd tranquility.

“If you fear Allah, you would not involve in kidnapping, perpetrate evil, go against the law of the land or do something that will be detrimental to the growth of the country.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa represented by the Director of Support Services at the Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Olatunji Bello urged Muslims to pray for the country regarding the scroge of insecurity.

Musa said he held in high esteem the Foundation for hosting the lecture and exploring ways including prayers for the nation to ensure that we overcome insecurity in no distant time.

“Let me correct a misconception; insecurity has always been in Nigeria and everywhere in the world. The only issue here is the social media that amplifies everything.

“The armed forces in the country has been doing a lot to deal with insecurity. We work assiduously with traditional rulers and others all over the country to ensure that everyone in this country is safe.

“We keep the nation safe, especially in the spirit of Ramadan. We want all Muslims to know that, in this period, we are redoubling our efforts to ensure that there is absolutely security amd peace in the land,” Musa assured.

Similarly, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, represented by the Director of Islamic Affairs at the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, Air Commodore Lawal Lukman commended Ashraaf Islamic Foundation for organising the lecture.

According to him, the Nigerian Air force is not only concerning about how to drop bombs and missiles, but also the spiritual well-being of its officers and the members of their families.

“When we guide our officers and their families towards getting closer to their creator, the more they become better in the society.

“However the efforts of our soldiers are yielding fruits and in our barracks, we don’t have issues, because we have religious peace, harmony and tranquility,” Abubakar said.

In same vein, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla represented by the Director of Policy at the Naval Headquarters, Real Adm. Malami Haruna said the theme of the lecture was vital for discussion.

He further explained that it is very important to find a permanent balance between religious organisations and ensuring public safety and national security.

“As we know, during the month of Ramadan, it is necessary to consider actions that will impact and contribute to the well-being of our people and country.

“The operation environment in place for the Nigerian Armed forces must be resolute to achieve the objective of restoring normalcy in our land,” (NAN)

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Eagle Times Newspaper Will Be Voice for Nigerians – Publisher Chukwunyere Vows

Published

10 hours ago

October 2, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Publisher of The Eagle Times Nigeria, Sir Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, has pledged that the newspaper will promote accountability, credible journalism and public-interest reporting in its coverage of national affairs.
Chukwunyere made the commitment on Thursday, October 1, 2026, during the official unveiling and launch of The Eagle Times Nigeria.

He said the new media organisation was established not merely to add another newspaper to Nigeria’s media landscape, but to provide a platform committed to serving the public interest.

According to him, the newspaper’s guiding philosophy, “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation,” places a responsibility on the organisation to listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight issues affecting their daily lives and scrutinise those entrusted with public responsibilities.

“To be a voice for the people means that we must listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight their concerns and give visibility to issues that affect their daily lives,” he said.

The publisher added that The Eagle Times would be guided by accuracy, fairness, professionalism, credibility and responsible journalism, stressing that the newspaper would not publish stories merely because they were sensational.

“We will verify. We will investigate. We will seek the other side. We will correct our mistakes when we make them,” he said.

Chukwunyere further stated that the newspaper would endeavour to give individuals and organisations the opportunity to respond whenever allegations were made against them.
“Our commitment is not to any political party, government or individual. Our primary commitment is to journalism, to truth and to the Nigerian public,” he said.

He noted that the newspaper was launching at a time when the media industry was undergoing rapid transformation, with audiences increasingly consuming news through digital platforms, including websites, television, podcasts and social media.

He said The Eagle Times would therefore operate as a multimedia organisation, combining its newspaper with digital platforms and The Eagle Times TV to reach audiences across different channels.

According to him, the organisation also intends to create opportunities for young journalists, writers, photographers, producers, digital creators and other media professionals to develop their skills and contribute to journalism and national development.

Chukwunyere said the newspaper’s coverage would include politics, governance, business, economy, security, judiciary, education, health, technology, sports, entertainment, lifestyle and international affairs.

He, however, said the organisation intended to distinguish itself not only by the subjects it covered but by the quality and approach of its journalism.

We want to tell stories that matter, we want to investigate issues that require investigation, we want to highlight Nigerians who are making a difference, and we want to give communities that are often ignored an opportunity to be heard,” he said.

The publisher acknowledged the challenges involved in establishing a newspaper, saying the venture required investment, commitment, professional discipline and the courage to pursue an idea.

He expressed appreciation to the management, editorial, reporting, production and digital teams, as well as families, friends, partners and supporters who contributed to the establishment of the organisation.

Chukwunyere also assured readers, viewers and the newspaper’s digital audience that The Eagle Times would strive to earn their trust and remain accountable to the standards it had set for itself.

He said the newspaper’s success would not be measured only by circulation figures, website traffic or social media followers, but also by the confidence Nigerians placed in its journalism.

“Today, we spread our wings. Today, The Eagle Times takes flight,” he said, reaffirming the newspaper’s commitment to its slogan: “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation.”

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