President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, observed the Muslims’ Eid-el-Fitri prayers with his family members, in line with his earlier promise to observe protocol against mass gathering as issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
The President, apart from praying at home with few family members, unlike previous practice where he prayed at the Abuja Eid ground, also ensured that the family maintained social distancing.
As Nigeria Muslims joined their colleagues globally to observe this year’s Eid-el-Fitri on Sunday, the President had urged them to avoid the usual congregational prayers as part of measures to check the spread of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.
This is as the disease is said to have spread into several in Nigeria, with 265 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria on Saturday, according to the latest statistics released by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC
The latest results from various testing centers across the country show that there 133 new cases in Lagos, 34 in Oyo, 28 in Edo, 23 in Ogun, 22 in the FCT, 6 in Plateau, 5 in Kaduna, 3 in Borno, 3 in Niger, 2 in Kwara, 2 in Bauchi, 2 in Anambra, 2 in Enugu State.
“As at 23rd May there are 7526 confirmed cases of #COVID-19 reported in Nigeria. 2174 have been discharged with 221 deaths”
Businessday checks in Abuja show that many Muslims observed the PTF COVID-19 protocols as the pray grounds did not open for the usual congregational prayers.
In Kuje, headquarters of the Kuje Area Council, most families observed the celebrations with their families and shared food with their neighbors.
A Muslim, Abubakar Mahmoud, who spoke with BusinessDay, noted that the decision to avoid congregational gathering was in obedience to the government directives, which were supported by those issued by the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Sa’ad Abubakar III suspending Eid congregational prayers across the country.
” We obeyed the directives on the protocol against mass gathering issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and which was backed by the statement issued by the Sultan of Sokoto”
” As you know, this COVID-19 is real. Like many Muslims did today, I prayed with my family and shared what we have with our friends and neighbors, in accordance with the injunctions give to us by our Prophet Mohammed (peace be open him)
The President who had traditionally shared the joyous moment with top government officials, political leaders, community heads, Muslim and Christian religious leaders and children, also cancelled the homages in a bid to stop the coronavirus from further spreading.
