As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and in consonance with efforts by the Nigerian government to stave off the occurrence of Corona Virus infestation in the country, the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society has announced the suspension of all gatherings in its mosques across the country with effect from Monday, March 23, 2020.
While making the declaration in Abuja on Thursday, the National Chief Imam of the society, Imam Fuad Adeyemi, said while no case has been recorded in Abuja, the city of the society’s corporate headquarters, the society took the decision as a proactive measure to ensure that those who gathered at the mosques did not become victims.
He said the suspension would last for two weeks in the first instance and could be extended depending on improvements made in the battle against the deadly virus.
Imam Adeyemi however,explained that the suspension would only affect the weekly Friday Jumat services and the Sunday prayer sessions, added that the Jumat service for March 20 would hold.
The National Chief Imam assured that just as it was done at the Jumat service of March 13, arrangements had been put in place to ensure that those who would observe the Jumat services in its mosques on March 20, are well protected.
Last Friday, the society ensured that every faithful who was at the mosque for Jumat service was screened for possible infestation and given hand sanitisers after performing their ablutions and before gaining access to the mosques premises.
In the same vein, the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society also announced an indefinite suspension of all activities and programmes under its PROJECT EAT-FIn to ensure that participants are not exposed to undue risks.
The PROJECT EAT-FIn is Al-Habibiyyah’s flagship anticorruption programme supported by the McArthur Foundation. It trains clerics, teenagers and different stakeholders on anticorruption practices and on ways to curb corrupt practices in the society.
Imam Adeyemi enjoined members and non-members of the society to adhere to safe health practices and ensure that they took to instructions as released by government in its efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
He said everyone must wash his or her hands regularly with soap and water for at least 30 seconds after touching surfaces and to ensure that they applied sanitisers on their hands after washing them.
Corona virus, which emanated in the Wuhan province in China in January, has claimed hundreds of lives across continents as it took on a pandemic posture.
Symptoms include dry coughs, sneezing, high body temperature, and spontaneous fever, among others.
