FG Declares Friday, Monday Public Holidays for Easter Celebration

•NSCDC deploys 30,000 personnel to ensure peaceful celebration

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The federal government has declared Friday, April 7 and Monday, April 10 as public holidays for the 2023 Easter celebration.

This was contained in a statement yesterday, in Abuja, by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belford.

Belgore, in the statement, stated that the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on behalf of the federal government.

The Minister urged Christian faithful 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.

He also called on Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for an end to the security challenges in some parts of the country, adding that security was everybody’s business.

He also 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.

He urged Nigerians and foreigners resident in the country to display high sense of citizenship and public spiritedness by supporting the efforts of the security agencies.

This, the minister said was with a view to ensure peace and security of lives and property of Nigerians.

He said that the federal government was doing all that was necessary in ensuring a peaceful transition of government following the peaceful conduct of the 2023 general elections.

“The nation is persistently on the part to greatness and I urge all Nigerians to positively deploy their creative energy to the full realisation of the coming prosperity, as there is surely light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

The minister wished all Christian faithful a most blissful celebration and all Nigerians a happy holiday.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) has raised an alarm that some unscrupulous elements were planning to cause mayhem across the country during the Easter break, in the name of protesting against the just concluded election.

Owing to this, the NSCDC disclosed that it has deployed 30,000 personnel nationwide to forestall break down of law and order, and ensure a hitch-free Easter celebration nationwide.

A statement yesterday, by the spokesman of the Corps, Olusola Odumosu read: “Determined to ensure a hitch-free Easter celebration, the Commandant General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered the deployment of 30,000 personnel from the FCT, states, zonal commands and the National headquarters to beef up security across the country.”

It disclosed that the CG gave the order at the National Headquarters, Abuja, while addressing personnel on the need for effective policing of the nation against any atrocious activities of dangerous elements planning to cause breakdown of law and order.

The CG, according to him, directed all Special Forces in the Corps such as the Armed Squad, CG’s Special Intelligence Squad, CG’s Special Anti- vandal monitoring Squad, CG’s Marine monitoring unit, Special Female Squad, Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (DII), RRS, Agro Rangers, SWAT, K9, Counter Terrorism unit and CBRNE, to join forces with the regular officers to ensure a hitch-free celebration across the country.

The CG was quoted to have said: “As the Easter celebration approaches, I want to see massive deployment of personnel everywhere in the country.

“All special forces and regular officers must go all out to protect lives and properties of citizens. You must look out for criminals, hoodlums and mischief makers seeking to compromise the integrity of the country and deal decisively with them.”

Audi explained that the massive deployment would cover all public utilities, suspected flashpoints, worship centres, markets, recreational facilities, shopping malls, parks, gardens and other crowded locations.

He stressed that the tight security measures being put in place was to protect lives, infrastructure and prevent any occurrence of national emergencies given reports of various political agitations and planned protests in different parts of the country.

The CG added: “Reports have it that some people want to take advantage of the Easter celebration to cause breakdown of law and order, chaos and destruction of critical national assets in the name of election protests and other political agitations but we will not allow that to happen.

 “You must prevent any unlawful gathering, assembly or protests which failed to obtain necessary permission from the police which is the lead agency in internal security.

“You must also ensure proper synergy with other security agencies to forestall any threat to the peace of the nation.”

 He warned holiday makers to celebrate in moderation and be law abiding in their activities, urging them to assist security agencies by giving timely and credible information to nip crime in the bud.