Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has advised citizens of the nation’s capital, particularly the Muslim Ummah, to be aware that a third wave of the COVID-19 epidemic is possible.
He, however assured that steps have been put in place to prevent its spread, citizens must also protect themselves by following the non-pharmaceutical preventive measures of facial covering, hand washing, and physical distance.
Bello gave this advise in his Eid-el-kabir message to the people of Abuja, the nation’s capital, while adding that residents are once more encouraged to enjoy the celebrations from the safety of their homes as attendance of large gatherings increases the risk of contacting the virus.
His message read thus: “The Sallah celebration provides us with the unique opportunity to offer supplications to Almighty Allah for the continuous growth and development of our country. Let us therefore pray for peace and the collective ability to surmount our current challenges.
“I encourage us to use this occasion to meditate on, and give expression to the lifestyle of Prophet Ibrahim especially on the virtues of sacrifice and selflessness which Eid-el-Kabir symbolizes.
“As residents of our nation’s capital, we should consider it our obligation to live up to the dreams and ideals of our founding fathers who also made enormous sacrifices in the quest of making Abuja the Center of Nigeria’s unity and a melting pot of our various cultures, traditions and ideas.
“It is imperative therefore that we imbibe these ideals of sacrifice and nation building as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim and our founding fathers to build an FCT and Nigeria of our collective desires”.
He continued: “This is quite possible especially with dedication, commitment and singularity of purpose from all of us.
“In the same vein I appeal to you all to be security concious in the course of the festivities and report any suspicious activities to the relevant security agencies
“Residents should however be rest assured that the FCT Administration is doing its best to ensure the security of lives and property both during and after the festivities”.
