COVID 19: Sultan Warns Northern Govs Against Eid Prayers

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Saad Abubakar III has warned that congregational eid-el-fitri prayers could aid the spread of corona virus in the country.

Therefore “Eid-el-Fitr congregation in the outskirts of towns and cities should be temporarily suspended.

The said ‘Eid-el-Fitr Prayer be observed at home with family members or alone in case there isn’t anyone with him or her, at home,” the Sultan said  in a statement by the JNI on Thursday.

Sultan Abubakar is the spiritual head of Muslims in Nigeria and leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, SCIA also known as JNI in Nigeria.

States like Kano, Bauchi, Yobe have directed that the yearly prayed to hold despite fear that the action will lead to spike in the number of corona virus infected persons.

The Northern Governor’s Forum had on Thursday said the north has 54 per cent of COVID 19 infected persons in the country, even as some religious leaders and other prominent Nigerian Muslims have expressed concerns that virus could spread exponentially if open religious gatherings are allowed to hold..

The Eid prayer is held by muslims to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

JNI said state governments where the Eid prayers are allowed to hold should take full responsibility.

The umbrella body for Muslims in Nigeria said “However, in states where Governments have reached concrete decisions to observe the ‘Eid-el-Fitr prayer, based on their medical experts’ advice, strictest measures of distancing, face masks and sanitizers be taken to protect worshipers.”

Meanwhile, the Oyo state government said on Thursday that it has not lifted ban on religious gathering, contrary to speculation.

Congregational Eid Prayers, will therefore, not hold in the state, the Seyi Makinde-led government said