President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday urged Nigerians to live in peace with one another for the progress of the country.
The president made the call in Kaduna in a message to the 32nd Maulud celebration of prominent Tijjaniya sect cleric, late Sheik Ibrahim Nyass.
Mr Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, said Nigerians irrespective of their religious beliefs should live peacefully with one another and promote brotherliness and respect for each other.
He commended the group for organising the event, saying it would help in promoting love and respect among the followers.
The president urged Muslims to continue to pray for the nation and emulate the teaching of late Nyass, who propagated Islam with love and reached out to humanity across the globe.
“I call on all Muslims to live in peace, love their neighbours and be united,” he added.
In his remarks, a grandson of Nyass, Sheik Sharif Umar, expressed happiness at the hundreds of thousands of faithfuls that turned out for the event, describing the turn out as unprecedented.
He stressed that Ibrahim Nyass lived an exemplary life and preached love among Muslim faithfuls.
Mr Umar who urged the sect members to be law abiding and embrace peace, prayed for the success of the Nation and the good health of the president .
Abdullahi Aboki, a guest at the event said the late cleric was worth celebrating as he was an advocate of peace who encourages love between Muslims and other faiths.
“We are gathered here because of the love we have for Shehu Nyass; he was a lover of Allah and Prophet Muhammad,” he stated.
Sa’adu Tidibale, one of the sect followers, said he travelled from Sokoto to Kaduna to witness the event with his family, and described the event as memorable.
“The Sheik’s legacy of love cannot be forgotten,” he said.