Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has banned activities in all international markets across the state.
Tambuwal also warned residents against overcrowding and assembling during the public preaching and night prayers as Ramadan fasting would soon commence.
A statement signed by Malam Muhammad Bello, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Public Relations, said Tambuwal gave the warning while receiving situation report from the State’s Task Force Committee on COVID-19.
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Bello said the measures were made to checkmate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
”The warning on public gathering for Tafsir and Tarawih prayers in the month of Ramadan was an adoption of the recommendation of the Sultanate Council on both.
”This step was taken in order to regulate the convergence of people in one place, a situation that would only increase the risk of them getting infected with the COVID -19 disease.
”Instead of the traditional public preaching, the state government will now sponsor online airing of the Tafsir of the Ulamas on television and radio stations in the state, ” Bello said in the statement.
He added that the ban of the markets became necessary as the state Task Force on COVID-19 has submitted that their existence was contributing to the spread of disease.
Bello said the governor has also approved the extension of the existing partial lockdown by two weeks, insisting that the enforcement of the ban on inter-state movement must not be compromised.
According to him, Gov Tambuwal appealed to traditional and community leaders in the state to support the enforcement of the banning of social gatherings.
Tambuwal thanked the Sultanate Council, traditional rulers, security agents, and other stakeholders for their unflinching cooperation so far.
According to the statement, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, lauded the state government for the myriad of measures being taken against the spread of the disease.
The Sultan had informed the governor that as the leaders of the Muslim Ummah, the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs has taken a decision to ban all the tafsir and tarawih in the Muslim ummah, in order to prevent the spread of the disease.
Sultan noted that the decision was a sequel to a meeting with all the Imams and Ulamas in the state where they unanimously consented to the decision.
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