Eid-El Fitr: Pray at home, FCT administration, MPAC tell Muslims

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has urged residents, especially the Muslim faithful, to observe their Eid-el Fitr prayers at home as they mark the end of this year’s Ramadan.

Also, the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) Nigeria, yesterday, stressed the importance of all Muslims in Nigeria to strictly observe the Eid prayer at home alone or with family members only.

The FCTA administration said the advise became necessary following the statement made yesterday by the Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI) under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, regarding the suspension of the Eid Congregational Prayers in towns and cities across the federation.

A statement yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, Mr. Anthony Ogunleye, stated categorically that this year’s Eid-el Fitr prayers would not hold on Eid grounds in the FCT.

The statement urged Muslims to observe the Eid-el Fitr prayers at home with family members or alone in the case of individuals living alone.

“This is in tandem with the guidelines, issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, that all places of worship in the FCT and other high risk states of the federation should remain closed during the recently extended period of lockdown.

“In order to achieve this objective of enforcing these guidelines in the FCT, meetings were held earlier between the Administration and leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the League of FCT Imams.

“The meeting acknowledged that the primary concern of all leaders and public officials was to save lives. In view of this common goal, the leaders of the religious organisations have agreed to work towards the eventual opening up of worship places at a time to be determined by the Presidential Task Force, based on medical advice,” the statement added.

It stressed that a team consisting of representatives of the religious organisations as well as the FCTA has already been constituted to look at what the modalities and protocols of operating places of worship would be when COVID-19 lockdown of the FCT is relaxed.

The Executive Chairman of the MPAC, Disu Kamor, in his Eid-el Fitri message, noted that the month of Ramadan is dedicated to fasting, prayers and almsgiving.

Kamor noted that the completion of the fast and the blessings of renewed faith that come with it mark a special occasion for observant Muslims who see the grace of God in the midst of the extremely challenging and distressing events around us today.

He prayed to Allah Almighty to “grant us His guidance, safeguard our faith, unite our ranks, strengthen our solidarity, heal the sick and afflicted and make the world a prosperous and peaceful place.”