A Sokoto based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Musa Lukwa, led his followers in two raka’at Eid-el-Fitr prayer on Sunday despite the Sultan’s announcement that Eid will be observed on Monday.
The fiery cleric said they have confirmed the sighting of new crescent of Shawwal in many places in Nigeria and the neighbouring countries.
The Sultan had announced on Saturday that, no report on the Shawwal moon sighting was received from anywhere in the country by the moon sighting committee, which Lukwa denied.
According to him, the new moon was sighted in many places in Sokoto state.
Speaking to some reporters after the Eid prayer, he said the new moon was sighted at Fakku and Wauru in Kebbe and Gada local government areas respectively.
He also said that, there was one lecturer of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto who confirmed to them that, the new moon was sighted at the main campus of the university.
“And even from our neighbouring state of Kebbi we received report on the new moon,” he said
“This is why we decided to break our fast and observe the prayer in compliance with the authentic Hadith of the Holy Prophet.
“It is only during his time (Sultan Sa’ad) that we are experiencing this problem.
“During his father’s reign, there was a time he asked Muslims to break their fast around noon when the new moon was confirmed by some scholars and during Dasuki and Maccido there was no controversy on moon sighting because they listened to scholars,” he said.
