LIVE UPDATES
At the direction of Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muslims across the nation have been instructed to keep an eye out for the Ramadan moon on March 22 after sunset.
Arc. Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, the council's director of administration, stated that if Muslims see the crescent on the specified evening, the Sultan will declare Thursday, March 23, 2023, to be the first day of Ramadan 1444 A.H.
The declaration said;
"In response to the National Moon-Sighting Committee's (NMSC) recommendation, the President-General urges the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to look for the Ramadan crescent on Wednesday, 29 Sha'aban, 1444 A.H., which is equivalent to March 22, 2022, right after sunset.
"If Muslims of spotless character see the crescent on the specified evening, His Eminence shall proclaim Thursday, March 23, 2023, as the first day of Ramadan 1444 A.H.
"Nonetheless, Friday, March 24, 2023, will automatically become the first day of Ramadan if the crescent is not seen that day.
"Council further calls on Muslim leaders to exhibit the brotherhood and unity that are two of the fundamental lessons of Ramadan.
"Let those who won the recently held elections keep in mind that the All-Powerful Allah bestows power on whoever He pleases.
"Those who lost should accept their loss with faith and refrain from doing anything that could stoke discord and division within the Ummah.
"Council also makes a plea to wealthy Muslims in the nation to increase their acts of kindness toward underprivileged members of their communities before, during, and after the month of Ramadan. Also, we caution business owners against stockpiling food items or artificially raising the cost of consumer goods during the fast."
