This was announced by the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule during a stakeholders meeting at the Nasarawa State government house in Lafia.
“In a further bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Nasarawa State Government, has banned all congregational prayers, ordering the shutdown of all neighbourhood mosques across the state, ahead of the coming month of Ramadan”, he said.
The Governor showed concern that following the spread of COVID-19 in the country, there was need to review government’s strategy on controlling and containing the spread of the virus, especially with the coming of the holy month of Ramadan.
It was reported that religious leaders, senior traditional rulers, security chiefs and other top government functionaries, at the instance of the governor, collectively reach the decision to proscribe all congregational prayers, including the five daily obligatory prayers this month of Ramadan, to protect the people from contracting and spreading of Coronavirus in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, the Emir of Lafia, who also serves as the Chairman, Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, HRH Justice Sidi Bage, called on the people to be law abiding and to comply with government directives.
He said, “It’s the decision of government that all over the state, this Ramadan that we are approaching, there will be no congregation for Tarawih, no congregation for Tahajjud.”
The Emir revealed that Muslim faithfuls in the state, are by this order, counselled to observe all these prayers at home, as security agents are on ground to enforce the order.
The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, Bola Longe, has flintily cautioned that anybody found disobeying the order given by the government will be stringently be dealt with.
“Security agencies will not allow law breakers to operate at will in Nasarawa State. We will monitor them, we will fish them out, we will arrest them and prosecute them, ” he said.
The commissioner added that all entry and exit points in the state will be strictly monitored to prevent persons who may want to bring Coronavirus into the state.