Ramadan: Sultan alerts Muslims on moon, schools in Bauchi, Kebbi shut
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, led by Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on Muslims to start looking for the 2025 Ramadan moon from today, Friday, February 28, 2025.
The Sultan made the call on Thursday in a statement signed by the Secretary General of the NSCIA, Prof Ishaq Oloyede.
“The council hereby enjoins Muslims all over the country to be on the lookout for the Ramadan crescent on the night of Friday, 28th of February 2025 and await the official announcement by the President-General of NSCIA on the commencement of the 1446 AH Ramadan fast,” the statement read.
The development comes as the Bauchi and Kebbi states ordered the closure of schools for five weeks, due to the Ramadan fasting.
As stated in the approved school calendar of the Ministry of Education, Bauchi State, schools will be closed from February 26, 2025, until the end of Ramadan and the Salah celebration.
Classes will resume for the continuation of the second term on April 6, 2025.
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Kebbi State also revised the 2024/2025 academic calendar, closing the second term on February 28, 2025, with the Ramadan break commencing on March 1, 2025.
A statement from the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ahmed Idris, said schools were scheduled to resume for the third term on April 7, 2025.
In a statement directing the moon-sighting, the NSCIA said, “Consequent upon the advice of the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC), the President-General enjoins the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to search for the crescent of Ramadan 1446 AH immediately after sunset on Friday, 28th February 2025, which is equivalent to 29th Sha’aban 1446 AH.
“If the crescent is sighted by Muslims of impeccable character on the said evening, then His Eminence would declare Saturday, 1st March 2025 as the first day of Ramadan 1446 AH. If, however, the crescent is not sighted that day, then, Sunday, 2nd March 2025, automatically becomes the first of Ramadan, 1446 AH.”
The statement asked Muslims to contact the moon-sighting committee to report credible sightings of the crescent for Ramadan 1446 AH.
Oloyede, in the statement, also appealed to endowed Muslims in the country to extend acts of charity to the less privileged within their communities before, during and after the month of Ramadan, noting the current economic hardship in the country.
“The council, once again, admonishes traders to neither hoard food products nor unduly hike the prices of consumer goods during the period of the fast,” the statement added.
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