Some civil servants sacked by the Kaduna state government got more than they bargained for when they were arrested by the police for allegedly praying against the administration of Nasir el-Rufai, the governor.
The dismissed workers, who accused the government of failing to pay their entitlements after disengaging them, had organised prayer sessions where they poured out their hearts.
In one of the sessions, they rained curses on el-Rufai and officials of his government, demanding that they be displaced in 2019.
The powerful Islamic prayer, known as “Alqunuci”, is said to be invoked by those seeking justice.
“May God make the chairman of the primary education in the state (State Universal Basic Education) useless,” they said.
“God should not bless or solve the problems of those cheating us here on earth and in the hereafter. Allah, we are crying unto you like Yakub (Jacob)… May you deal with Nasir and seize power from him.
“May God put the Kaduna state house of assembly to shame. May God punish them for signing this thing that has brought untold hardship to us.”