The Presidency has disclosed that it had cancelled this year’s Eid el-Fitr homage to President Muhammadu Buhari by various communities.
The Presidency also stated that the president would be conducting a private Eid prayer with his family to mark the end of the month-long Ramadan fasting.
These were contained in a statement issued Friday in Abuja by the president’s senior special assistant on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu.
According to the statement, the changes in the pattern of celebrating the Eid el-Fitr this year are both in obedience to new rules to help in combatting the spread of Covid-19 and to ensure social distancing.
Announcing the pattern for this year in the state, the Presidency stated that, “With the Eid el-Fitr celebrations around the corner and the month-long Ramadan fast coming to an end, President Muhammadu Buhari will be conducting his Eid prayers with his family at home.
“This is in observance of the lockdown measures in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, put in place ‘to save lives and protect people from all dangers.’
“This is also in line with the directive of the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, suspending Eid congregational prayers across the country as well as the protocol against mass gathering issued by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.
“Further to this, the president who has traditionally shared the joyous moment with top government officials, political leaders, community heads, Muslim and Christian religious leaders and children, will not be receiving these homage in a bid to stop the coronavirus from further spreading.”
