APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The Nigerian Government has declared Friday, April 7, 2023 and Monday April 10, 2023 as public holidays to mark this year’s celebrations of Good Friday and Easter Monday respectively.
Nigeria’s Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, who announced the public holidays in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, called on Christians and all Nigerians to pray for an end to the security challenges in parts of the country.
In the statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Shuaib Begore, Aregbesola urged Christians to emulate the virtues of sacrifice, togetherness, forgiveness, kindness, love, peace and patience, which were attributes and practices of Jesus Christ, as exemplified by His ministry on the earth.
“Security is everybody’s business, I therefore urge Nigerians and foreigners resident in our country to display a high sense of citizenship and public spiritedness by supporting the efforts of all security agencies in bringing peace and security of lives and property of the citizenry,” he said.
The minister assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is doing all that is necessary to ensure a peaceful transition of government following the peaceful conduct of elections.
While wishing Christians at home and in the Diaspora a happy and peaceful Easter celebrations, he enjoined them to love their neighbours through acts of kindness and generosity of spirit.
Aregbesola once more assured Nigerians that the nation is persistently on the path to greatness and urged all to positively deploy their creative energy for the full realisation of the coming prosperity.
“There is surely light at the end of the tunnel,” he added.
GIK/APA