Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has directed the cancellation of all festivities during the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebrations in the state.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chairman, Niger State Task Force on COVID-19 Pandemic, Ahmed Matane on Friday in Minna.
Abubakar, however, granted permission for the conduct of Eid congregational prayers in Jmma’at Mosques across the state, according to the statement.
It said the prayers should be conducted under strict compliance to COVID-19 safety protocols.
Matane explained that the decision to ban the festivities was part of Government’s efforts to curtail the spread of Coronavirus as well as consolidate on the successes achieved in the fight against the pandemic.
He urged Muslims to use the Eid-el- Kabir celebrations to increase supplications and prayers for Almighty Allah to bring an end to the coronavirus pandemic as well as the .security challenges bedeviling the state and the country.
He said the 2020 Eid-el-Kabir had come at a trying moment occasioned by the debilitating effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the World.
The SSG said in order to get rid of the virus completely, residents must adhere strictly to physical distancing, wearing of face masks, regular hand washing with soap and water and application of hand sanitisers, among others.
He stressed that COVID-19 pandemic had necessitated unprecedented changes to the lives of people, thereby affecting the socio- economic wellbeing of humanity.
He appreciated the dedication and sacrifice of health workers in the state who were the first line of defence against the coronavirus pandemic and urged them to sustain the tempo with a view to achieving the set objectives.
Matane, then, condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones as a result of the pandemic and prayed God to grant the departed eternal rest.
