2017: Inter-faith leader predicts Shekau’s capture, calls for national prayer

THE leader of the Northern Inter-Faith and Religious Organisations for Peace, Bishop Musa Fomson, on Monday, predicted that 2017 would be a year of victory and realisation for Nigerians even as he urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow a few citizens of the country hold the larger population hostage.

He called for the need to declare a week on national fasting and prayers.

In his New Year message made available to journalists, Bishop Fomson revealed that he saw President Buhari surpassing his previous achievements in 2017 with measures that were earlier misinterpreted as mistakes or errors yielding fruits that would compel Nigerians to reconsider their assessment of him.

The clergy said, “Nigerians complained about what they thought was the reversal in their economic fortunes, but 2017 is the year they would realise that the words of Ecclesiastic 3:3 (A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up), are true and would not pass away without fulfilment.

“Mr President had spent the past time killing corruption that had threatened to kill Nigerians and 2017 is the year in which he shall fulfil his divine mandate to heal Nigeria from the ravages of the cancer of corruption. He has disrupted and torn down the reign of impunity and all the faulty foundations holding this country back; this year is the year in which he would build enduring institutions and systems that would establish a regime of fairness and equity for all Nigerians,” he noted.

He further declared that the Nigerian Army will capture the elusive leader of the Boko Haram terror group, Abubakar Shekau, alive in the year and would bring him to Abuja for all Nigerians to see.

His words: “The Nigerian Army will take Shekau captive the same way the terrorists leader had taken Nigerians captive. Shekau’s shame will be great as he would be brought to Abuja for Nigerians to come and see for themselves that the last of the bearers of the title of ‘Shekau’ has met his end because he mocked God and the peace he has ordained for Nigeria.

“Those who secretly support the terrorists while pretending to be patriotic citizens would finally be exposed except they find ways of cutting support to Boko Haram and turn to the path of repentance. Their gang up against the peace of Nigeria is not pleasing to God and the cries of Nigerians to their maker would not go unanswered in the year.

“Even as God liberates Nigerians from terrorists on one hand they will also be emancipated economically as the Almighty would restore what the people think they have lost multiple folds like he did to Job in the Bible.

“The upheaval within dominant political parties would however prove impossible to resolve. Top politicians will abandon the APC to make way for new entrants that will show unparallel eagerness to take over the position of those that would leave.

“My counsel is that even in the midst of these visions of abundance, Nigerians must declare a week of national fast and prayers seek the face of God so that the good things can come to pass while any untoward possibilities are averted. We must also repent of all our sins,” he charged.