Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Friday, September 1, 2017 and Monday, September 4, 2017, have been declared public holidays in celebration of Eid el-Kabir by Muslim faithful.
Minister of Interior, Mr Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, in a statement issued on Monday, August 28, 2017, urged all Muslims and Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the country’s democracy.
The Minister, in the statement signed by the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary (DOOPS), Dr Rufa’i Kawu Attahiru, assured citizens of their safety in all parts of the country, emphasizing that security agencies have been directed to maintain the peace and protect lives and property.
Mr Dambazau further urged all Nigerians to join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari to build a peaceful and harmonious country, where the rights of every citizen, are protected and guaranteed, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He condemned in strong terms the prevalence of hate speeches in the country and warned that the government would henceforth deal with perpetrators according to the law, while emphasizing that the government would continue to foster peaceful coexistence, national cohesion and stability in its march towards actualizing the full potential of Nigeria.
Concluding the statement, the Minister wished “all Nigerians a most rewarding and Happy Id-el-Kabir celebration.”
