The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, on Tuesday warned the Muslim ummah (community) against the consumption of monkeys and other bush meat to avoid contracting the dreaded Ebola virus.
Abubakar noted that since it was first confirmed medically that the disease was discovered in monkeys, it would be unholy for Muslims to consume the animal or other bush meat.
A statement issued by JNI’s Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar, on behalf of the Sultan in Kaduna on Tuesday, urged Muslims to abide by all health tips for the prevention of the disease seriously, noting that the culture of personal hygiene as well as proper sanitation must always be emphasized
According to him, Islam is a religion of cleanliness, adding that as reported in a sound Hadith, “Cleanliness is half of faith.”
He therefore called on Muslim scholars and preachers to continue sensitizing their respective followers on the dangers of the disease and the preventative measures they are supposed to imbibe.
The Nigeria Ebola case was first reported with the arrival of a Liberian, Mr. Patrick Sawyer with the disease in Lagos, who subsequently died at a Lagos hospital.