By ADEMOLA ADEGBITE, Abuja

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, on Tuesday, banned Eid prayers at the National Eid praying ground on Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway, Airport Road, Abuja, with a view to curtailing the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

He said the decision was based on presentations made by the officials of the Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS) of the FCTA and the implementation guidelines for phased restriction of movement issued by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, on Monday.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Anthony Ogunleye, and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the minister, therefore, urged all worshippers to hold Eid prayers outdoors within the premises of their neighbourhood Juma’at mosques.

According to the statement: “On Monday, May 10, 2021, the FCT minister, Malam Bello chaired a meeting of the FCTA and a delegation from the FCT League of Imams initiative led by its Chairman, Imam (Dr) Tajudeen M.B. Adigun to discuss the modalities of holding Eid prayers for the upcoming Eid el-Fitr celebrations.

“At the end of the meeting, the Chairman of the FCT League of Imams Initiative, Dr Tajudeen Mohammed Bello Adigun, speaking on behalf of the League, said “In Islam, you listen to experts, those who are specialists and those who have actually discussed with us are experts in the field of medical sciences. In Islam, you also abide by the commands of leadership.

“Based on this and what we are convinced of, we urge Muslim Ummah to also respect this stand of the administration of the FCT by observing our Eid prayers within our localities,” the statement signed by Ogunleye added.

He, therefore, admonished religious authorities to regulate the flow of people entering and exiting places of worship, while all non-pharmaceutical intervention protocols of facial coverings, physical distancing and hand washing are to be observed.

The minister thanked the religious leaders for their cooperation in the course of the battle against COVID-19 in the territory.

Malam Bello then directed that all other Eid celebrations and activities should be confined to homes, while all public parks, recreation and entertainment centres are to be closed. (Nigerian Tribune)

Update news