Kaduna’s Sultan Bello Mosque will remain closed even if lockdown is lifted —Chief Imam

THE Chief Imam of Sultan Bello Mosque, Kaduna, Dr Suleiman Adam, has said that the mosque will remain closed even if the lockdown imposed by the Kaduna State government is lifted.

He stated this while fielding questions from newsmen about the position of the mosque’s leadership as regards the COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s measure.

“COVID-19 is a very serious issue that we need to take very seriously. We have to protect those who come to pray and observe other religious obligations. Here, we don’t play with human lives. It is a religious duty.

“So, as far as I am concerned, even if the lockdown is lifted, the mosque will remain closed until we are convinced that the disease is under control and one can associate safely with other members of the public,” Imam Adam said.

He said the mosque was in support of the government directive that all places of worship suspend all activities that attract large crowds of people in order to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

According to the cleric, as soon as the government handed down the directive, an extensive meeting of the mosque’s management committee was held where the stakeholders came up with the resolution to suspend all activities in the mosque, including the five daily prayers, the Friday prayer and the annual Ramadan tafsir until further notice.

Speaking on the lockdown of some states in the country, Dr Adam said the Federal Government even delayed in taking a swift decision.

According to him, from the day the first case was recorded in Nigeria, the county’s land boarders and airspace should have been closed and “the disease wouldn’t have ravaged the country as we are seeing presently.”

He urged well-to-do Muslims to deploy their wealth in these critical times and assist the vulnerable members of the society as the government cannot do it alone.

The cleric advised people to hearken to medical experts’ advice as regards wearing of face masks, regular washing of hands and staying away from crowded places.

 

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