Updated: Fasting Ends As Sultan Declares Eid-El-Fitr Day In Nigeria

• The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has disclosed that it is still gathering reports to determine the end of the Ramadan fast
• The NSCIA, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar emphasized that the moon must be sighted before Eid can be declared
• While Saudi Arabia has confirmed the sighting of the crescent and set Sunday, March 30, as Eid-el-Fitr, Nigeria awaits the Sultan's official confirmation and declaration
• UPDATE: A couple of hours after this report was published, the Sultan of Sokoto has now announced that the new moon of Shawwal 1446AH has been sighted

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar has declared that fasting may continue on Sunday because Nigeria has not sighted the moon, indicating the end of the month of Ramadan.

NSCIA made this known in a statement signed by the Secretary-General, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, on Saturday.

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He also enjoined the Muslims to search for the crescent of Shawwal on the 29th of Ramadan, stressing:

“If Muslims sight the crescent in accordance with the moon sighting and verification standards, then His Eminence would declare Sunday, March 30, 2025 as the 1st of Shawwal and the day of Idul Fitr.”

Sultan spoke on Saturday after Saudi Arabia announced the sighting of the crescent moon and declared that the year 2024 Eid-el-Fitr will be Sunday, March 30.

This was disclosed by Saudi-based media on Saturday, March 29, wishing all Muslims across the world a happy Eid al-Fitr in advance.

The statement reads:

"The crescent moon has been sighted in Saudi Arabia. #EidAlFitr will be celebrated on Sunday, 30th March 2025.

"May Allāh accept our siyām, qiyām & a'māl & may He allow us to witness many more Ramadāns in good health. Āmīn."

NSCIA committee says they are still gathering reports

Reacting to the above development, a member of the NSCIA committee, Simwal @Simwal, in a post shared on his page, on Saturday, said the Sultanate Council are still gathering reports.

He tweeted:

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"Kindly ignore the false rumors circulating that His Eminence the Sultan has declared the Shawwal crescent was not seen in Nigeria. I just spoke with members of our committee at the palace, and they are still gathering reports."

UPDATE: Shawwal crescent now sighted in Nigeria

A couple of hours after this report was published, the Sultan of Sokoto has now announced that the new moon of Shawwal 1446AH had been sighted.

This was disclosed in a report by the NTA.

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Ramadan: Sultan of Sokoto calls for moon sighting

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigerian Muslims were told to look out for the new moon of Shawwal 1446AH on Saturday, March 29, 2025, to determine the end of Ramadan

The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sultan Sa'ad Abubakar III, issued this directive on Friday, in a statement by the Waziri of Sokoto, Prof. Sambo Wali Junaidu

Ahead of the Eid-el-Fitr celebration, Sultan-led NSCIA urged Muslims to report new moon sighting to the nearest district or village head