Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has said Eid prayers are allowed to hold only on mosques premises as part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus in the FCT.
According to a statement by the minister’s chief press secretary, Mr. Tony Ogunleye, Bello 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 (Dr) Tajudeen M.B Adigun, to discuss the modalities of holding Eid prayers for the upcoming Eid-il-Kabir celebrations.
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The statement said Bello 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 by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 as regarding the upcoming Sallah celebrations.
The minister said there will be no Eid prayers at the National Eid prayer ground along the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Expressway (Airport Road).
All worshippers are 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 8am and 10am.
“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 remain in effect, he added.
Eid-el-Kabir will be celebrated on 31 July, 2020 by Muslims in Nigeria.
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