…Sultan Harps On Tolerance

Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubar III has called for religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence.

In Nigeria the event followed the sighting of the moon last Saturday night in various cities of the country after 29 days of fasting by the Muslim world-wide.

The Sultan consequently enjoined all Muslims to exhibit the spirit of peace and religious tolerance which Islam preaches and reinforced by Ramadan.

“It is my ardent hope that we have learned all the lessons the Ramadan imparts to the faithfuls which include piety, sacrifice, brotherliness, tolerance and peaceful co-existence”, said Abubakar in a radio broadcast aired on Saturday night.

Muslims mark the end of Ramadan, Islams ninth and holiest month in which they fast from dawn to dusk, with feasts where they exchange visit and gifts.

Nigeria’s 140 million population is divided between Muslim and Christians, but tension and mistrust occasionally lead to sectarian  clashes especially in the muslim dominated northern part of the country.

Already, the federal government had declared Monday and Tuesday as public holidays to celebrate the occasion.