(Minna)
Niger state government said it would rely on the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Dr. Sa’aad Abubakar III on the guidelines for Eid-el-fitr prayers in the wake of Corona Virus pandemic.
The Secretary to Niger State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ibrahim Matane, who is also Chairman, state Task Force on Covid 19 announced this while fielding questions from journalists in Minna on Sunday.
He said though the state was working to resolve the issue within its ability, as President General of Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, “The Sultan is expected to come up with interpretations like he did on Tarawi and Tafsir.”
Matane, however said that “this does not mean that Niger state government is not trying to find solution to the problem in-house said,
“We have been engaging Imams in Niger state in regular interface on the way forward in order to mitigating the spread of corona virus”.
For the meantime, Ibrahim Matane told journalists that the state government had not yet decided on either allowing or otherwise of Eid-el-fitr prayers but would make such pronouncement in due course to guide the muslim community.
Meanwhile,Matane has also appealed to both Muslims and Christians to be more conscious of their health by obeying social distancing, wearing of facemasks and as well washing of hands as part of measures to halt the spread of the pandemic.
Matane, apparently speaking against the backdrop of increasing number of cases in the state which is now stands at 22, said the state government would continue to be proactive in ensuring restriction of movement.
He stressed that special attention would be paid to checking the movement of carriers of Coronavirusfrom other parts of Nigeria in order to make sure that they do not spread the disease in the state.