The Minister of the FCT, Muhammad Musa Bello, says Eid prayers are allowed to hold only in mosques’ premises as part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus in Abuja.
The minister, in a statement on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tony Ogunleye, gave the order when he chaired a meeting between the FCTA and members of a delegation from the FCT League of Imams Initiative led by its Chairman, Imam, Tajudeen Adigun, to discuss the modalities of holding Eid prayers for the upcoming Eid-il-Kabir celebrations.
The minister thanked the religious leaders for their cooperation in the course of the battle against COVID-19 in the FCT and said the FCT always made it a point of duty to consult with the relevant stakeholders prior to major decisions on COVID-19.
The minister arrived at the decision after the meeting received presentations from the Health, Security and Enforcement Departments of the FCT and took into cognizance the guidelines as by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 as regarding the upcoming Sallah celebrations.
“There will be no Eid prayers at the National Eid prayer ground along the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Expressway (Airport Road)
“All worshippers are enjoined to hold Eid prayers in the premises of their neighborhood Juma’at mosques
Eid prayers should last for a maximum of one hour only between 8 am and 10 am
“All other Eid celebrations and activities should be confined to homes as the extant guidelines on the closure of public parks, recreation, entertainment and sporting areas still subsists”, he said.
He urged religious authorities to regulate the flow of people entering and exiting places of worship.
All other health and safety protocols regarding places of worship as earlier issued by the FCTA remained in effect, he added.