Minna: Former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, has called on Nigerians to put aside their religious differences and embrace national unity. Okiro made this appeal in Minna, Niger, during the inauguration of a renovated Juma’at Mosque at the Police Secondary School (PSS), a project undertaken by the Sir Mike Okiro Foundation.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the initiative aims to promote religious harmony by providing Muslim students and staff with a suitable place of worship. Okiro emphasized that all citizens serve one God, regardless of their faith, and that this faith should be expressed through love, peace, and service to humanity. He noted that the shared belief in one God should unite rather than divide people.
Okiro highlighted the importance of religious tolerance, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence, stating that no student should feel excluded due to their religious beliefs. He urged Nigerians to learn from the nation’s past heroes by treating each other as brothers and sisters, irrespective of religious affiliation. He also recalled the inauguration of a Catholic Church he built within the school as part of efforts to promote interfaith harmony.
The Emir of Kagara, Malam Garba Attahiru, praised Okiro for fostering peace and unity through the mosque renovation project. Attahiru highlighted the importance of such initiatives amid the country’s security challenges and commended Okiro’s leadership, which has earned him the traditional title of Sarkin-Haske of Niger.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, represented by the Commissioner of Police in Niger, Elleman Adamu, described Okiro as a promoter of religious harmony and a father figure. He noted Okiro’s commitment to peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.
Maurice Magaji, Commissioner for Homeland Security in Niger, called on citizens to embrace unity, tolerance, and humanity, emphasizing that individuals do not choose their faith, race, or origin, as these are determined by God. He encouraged people to celebrate and treat each other as one family.
The Commandant of PSS, Haruna Ibrahim, remarked that the mosque’s renovation was a demonstration of faith in action and good leadership. He expressed hope that embracing unity and understanding would help Nigeria overcome religious intolerance and insecurity.
Kingsley Omo-Ojie, National Secretary of the PSS Old Students Association, recounted how the association approached Okiro regarding the mosque’s poor condition after the renovation of the school’s Catholic Church. Okiro’s immediate agreement to sponsor the mosque’s remodeling and the construction of an ablution center underscored the school’s belief in unity beyond religious backgrounds.
NAN reports that Okiro later had a closed-door meeting with former military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida at his hilltop mansion.