Thousands of Muslim faithful on Friday ignored the social distancing advice and converged at various Friday mosques in Kano to observe their Friday congregational prayers.

A correspondent in Kano who monitored the situation observed that water and sanitizers were provided at some of the mosques, where people washed their hands before they entered the mosques.

Some of the residents who spoke to the correspondent shortly after the prayer at Al-Furqan Mosque said they attended the congregational prayers because there was no statement from the government advising or directing people not to attend the Friday congregational prayer.

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One of the worshippers, Alhaji Mansur Sale, commended the Kano state government for taking giant strides in ensuring that the deadly coronavirus did not get access into the state since it was brought to the country by an Italian national.

Meanwhile, residents of the ancient city are going about with their normal businesses as markets, shops and other business premises were opened for business.

It could be recalled that the state government had on Wednesday ordered total closure of the state’s borders as well as the domestic wing of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) from 12midnight today (Friday) as part of renewed efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.