Grand Khadi of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Idris Haroun, at the weekend called for collective efforts to address the plight of orphans and widows in Nigeria.

He said if such people are left in the lurch and made to roam the streets, they could create problem for the society.

Haroun was speaking at the Ramadan lecture organised by Islamic Missionaries Association of Nigeria (IMAN) in Ilorin.

The Grand Khadi, who described the topic of the lecture delivered by Justice Solihu Mohammed as "timeous", warned the government against neglecting widows and orphans as such could compound the nation's security challenges.

Nigeria, he said, "is going through a trying experience. Those of us who are above the age of 50 know that what is happening now, the killing and bombing here and there, is alien to our culture".

He advocated the establishment of a forum or institution that would address the problem of widows and orphans in the society just as he charged the Muslim ummah to establish an endowment fund for vulnerable people.

"You can see them (widows and orphans) roaming about. I think it is high time for us to have organisations, establishments or institutions that can take care of these people. We should have a public purse", he said.