The Federal Government has declared Friday, March 7, 2023 and March 10, 2023, as public holidays to mark this year’s celebration of Good Friday and Monday of Easter.

This was revealed in a statement by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in Abuja, signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Shuaib Begore.

The Permanent Secretary noted that Aregbesola encouraged Christians to emulate the virtues of sacrifice, togetherness, forgiveness, kindness, love, peace and patience which he revealed that are attributes and practices of Jesus Christ, as exemplified by His ministry on the earth.

Aregbesola stated that the minister called on Christians and all Nigerians to use the occasion of this year’s Easter celebration to pray for an end to the security challenges in parts of the country.

He said, “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.”

The minister assured citizens 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 celebration, he enjoined them to love their neighbours through acts of kindness and generosity of spirit, with the well to do sharing their substance with the less privileged around them.

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 stated.