The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that Friday 7 and Monday 10 April 2023 will be public holidays to celebrate Easter.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday.

In the statement, Aregbesola urged Christians to observe the virtues of Jesus Christ, such as sacrifice, forgiveness, kindness, love, peace, and patience, during the Easter celebrations. He also encouraged Christians and all Nigerians to use the opportunity to pray for an end to the security challenges in parts of the country.

As quoted by Aregbesola in the statement, “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 further reassured Nigerians that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring a peaceful transition of government following the peaceful conduct of elections.

The minister wished Christians both at home and in the Diaspora a happy and peaceful Easter celebration. He also implored them to love their neighbours through acts of kindness and generosity, with those who are well-to-do sharing their resources with those less privileged around them.

In his concluding remarks, Aregbesola reassured Nigerians that the country is on a path to greatness, and urged everyone to deploy their creative energy positively for the realization of a prosperous future.