Christians numbering over 2,500, on Monday, converged in Maiduguri ans asked for God's intervention over the lingering insecurity bedevilling Borno State and other parts of the country.
The Christian faithful, who assembled at the EYN LCC Maiduguri for the Borno State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) annual Eater Monday prayer rally, also commended the State government and security agencies for working hard to ensure a hitch-free Easter celebration.
Speaking, the Borno CAN chairman, Most Rev. Dr. John Bogna Bakeni, said the Easter Monday prayer rally is a service of unity that brings all the various Christian denominations together.
He said in the course of the holy week, each church and denomination has their own ritual and right of celebration in their own churches, but today on this Easter Monday, which is held every year, all the Christian bodies come together as one body of Christ.
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"In the service, we prayed in thanksgiving to God. We also prayed for the country. The greatest burden on us is the lingering Boko Haram insurgency. We are not yet out of the woods, but we give God thanks that we were able to celebrate Easter peacefully.
"Thanks to the various security agencies that helped. The cloud of insecurity is still hovering over the State and the country, which we prayed to God to bring to an end. Let us remain united and peaceful," the State CAN chairman, who is also the Auxiliary Bishop of Maiduguri Catholic Diocese, said.
In his message, the resident Pastor of EYN LCC, Maiduguri, Rev. Usman Waziri Dibal, said the unity service brought all churches together for one purpose.
"It has given us the opportunity to celebrate the resurrection of Christ Jesus and redemption of mankind," said Rev Dibal.
The Anglican Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, Bishop Emmanuel Morris, expressed deep gratitude to God for enabling Christians in the State to celebrate Easter peacefully despite the threat of insecurity.
He also commended the Borno State government and security agencies for a hitch-free Easter that enabled Christian faithful to come out to serve God joyfully.
"We are deeply grateful for what God has done. Despite the threat of insecurity, Christians gathered in their thousands to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. This is a sign of unity and coming together today is a sign that Christians are together in the State," Bishop Morris said.
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The Secretary of CAN in the State, Apostle Joshua Akeredolu Michael, who noted that over 2,500 Christian faithful comprising 86 servants of God and worshippers attended the Easter rally, urged Christians to love one another and intercede for the State, the country and the world in their prayers.
He prayed for a lasting peace in the ongoing crisis between Israel and Iran, nothing that the effect of the war was also taking toll on the economy of the country.
The Metro CAN Coordinator, Sir Timothy Olanrewaju, said now was the time for Christian faithful in the State to be united, having faced a lot of challenges in the State and the country at large.
"This is the time we need to pray to God to help us to overcome the challenges facing us as a people," Olanrewaju stated.
