The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari CFR, has directed the Chief Imam of Ilorin and all Islamic clerics to lead community awareness campaigns against drug abuse and cultism across Kwara State.

The directive was issued during a special peace prayer session organised by the Ilorin Emirate Council in partnership with the Kwara State Community Police Initiative at the Emir's palace. The gathering sought divine intervention for sustained peace and coexistence in Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State.

Emir Sulu-Gambari specifically instructed clerics to incorporate special prayers for peace and tranquillity into daily morning and evening congregational prayers. "Our spiritual leaders must actively combat societal vices through education and prayer. Drug abuse and cultism threaten our youth and communal harmony," he stated.

The initiative underscores the Emirate's commitment to leveraging religious institutions for social stability, aligning with state efforts to curb substance abuse and criminal networks.

"Our Imams in all Mosques in Ilorin Emirate should immediately commence offering of special prayers during the early morning and evening congregational prayers for security of lives and property in Ilorin Emirate and Kwara as a whole," the Emir directed .

"Our Imams and other clerics should also embark on campaign against drugs and cultism both during the early morning prayer and shortly before the evening prayer at their respective localities and this message should be spread out to the clerics in our neighbouring local governments in Kwara south and Kwara north," he added.

In his remarks, the chairman of Kwara State Community Police Initiative, Alhaji Abdullahi Yusuf, blamed the problem of insecurity in Ilorin Emirate on drug abuse and involvement of youths in cultism.

He said," if all the stakeholders join hands to wage war against drug abuse and cultism, the problem of insecurity will abate in Ilorin Emirate."

Yusuf joined the Emir in urging the Imams and other clerics to use prayer in warding off the menace of drug abuse and cultism in Ilorin, in particular and Kwara State in general.

The prayer session was attended by all members of the Ilorin Emirate Council and the Divisional Police Officer of " C" Division, Oja - Oba, Ilorin, CSP Dauda Saad.