September 12, 2014 – International Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community Hazrat Masroor Ahmad has prayed for peace and tranquility in Nigeria as the nation faces growing terrorist attacks from insurgents in the northeast.
While meeting with the Nigerian delegation to the just concluded 48th annual conference of the Ahmadiyya Muslim association, UK, the Islamic leader expressed deep concern about wanton killing and destruction of lives and properties by the insurgent under the guise of Islam.
These attacks according to him are capable of disenfranchising the people of the northeast in the 2015 elections and divert the attention of government from sustainable development across Nigeria, a nation described as one of the great and potential country in the world in terms of human and material resources.
” This group of insurgents are miscreants capable of destroying the peace loving and hardworking people of the northeast noted for Islamic prowess and agricultural development. Over the years the people of the region noted for mixed cultures, religion and tradition had struggled with peace and developments in recent years due killings and destruction of lives.”
The head of Ahmadiyya Muslim community commended government relentless efforts to fight the insurgents and maintain peace in the region. He admonished members of the Islamic community to demonstrate their love and support for the government and good people of Nigeria.
He appealed to Nigerian politicians to have the fear of God and served the people who voted for them during elections. To him “politicians must justify the confidence repose on them during the voting exercise”
Hazrat Masroor Ahmad commended the Nigerian media organisations who were accredited to cover the conference notably Voice of Nigeria, National mirror newspaper and Murhi International Television, MITV for high level of professional conduct before, during and after the event.
He noted the support of other media outlets who equally reported the activities of the Islamic conference as being sent to Nigeria .
The Muslim leader said Nigerian media gave a good account for themselves, going by the feedback from Nigerians and the global community who watched the live transmission from the Muslim television Ahmadiyya satellite station, NTA, live streaming on www. mta.tv and YouTube .
” The live feed to MITV signal for local rebroadcast , news from Lagos Television service , Voice of Nigeria interactive reports and the newspaper write ups were really appreciated and commendable. For the first time , the true message of Islam from around the world about the Ahmadiyya community was given to the people at the nick of time”
Before the UK gathering, a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Ghana Broadcasting Service to relay live feeds to Ghana and some West African countries . Once Nigeria was contacted. It swung into action to have its live feeds direct from London through local television stations. MITV,Ltv8 and TVC were contacted for the telecast. The bid of MITV was successful.
Three senior Nigerian journalists Qasim akinreti, Head Reportorial corps ,Sekinat lawal ,Deputy Editor National Mirror and Tunde Okunola ,Geneal manager, MITV were offered Visa by the UK embassy for the assignment. They were joined by other journalists from Ghana, The Gambia ,Burkinafaso, the UK ,USA and Canada among others. A UK media desk and International desk were created at the conference.
