Buhari reopens Aso Rock Villa to Sallah homage two years after COVID-19 lock down

President Muhammadu Buhari has reopened the State house, Abuja, to Sallah homage two years after the COVID-19 lock down in the country.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement in Abuja, declared that “two years after the world’s biggest lock down to slow the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional Sallah homage to the President by residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, returns to the Aso Rock Villa.” Apparently, President Buhari has opened the gate for visitors during the Sallah celebration.

Garba Shehu, however, issued a caveat, saying, although this is a sign of the return to normalcy as infection rates fall to their lowest, those coming on invitation are still required to wear face masks and undergo the linear Covid-19 test at the State House Conference Centre to obtain a negative test result as condition for admittance to the event.

He declared: “President Muhammadu Buhari is set to receive the visitors, numbering about 100 at the New State House Banquet Hall at 3.00pm on Sallah Day (Sunday or Monday), itself to be determined by moon sighting to be announced by Islamic authorities in the country.”

He disclosed that invited Guests for the event, led by Muhammed Musa Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the Head of Service, the Senator and House members from the FCT, leadership of the FCT Judiciary, Members of the Cabinet, Service Chiefs and heads of security agencies, Muslim and Christian leaders in the FCT, Council Chairmen, Traditional Rulers and others who received invitations as listed on the manifest.