By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has extended the public holiday for the Eid-El-Fitr celebration to Thursday.
Last week, there was an announcement of a two-day holiday– Tuesday, April 9 and Wednesday, April 10 – for the festivities that marked the end of the Muslims fasting period known as Ramadan.
However, the crescent was not sighted in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, meaning the Eid celebration will take place on Wednesday, prompting the federal government through the Ministry of Interior to add an extra day to the already-declared public holiday.
“The federal government has approved Thursday, April 11, 2024, as an additional public holiday to celebrate this year’s Eid-El-Fitr,” the Ministry of Interior’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Aishetu Gogo Ndayako, said in an early Tuesday statement.
“The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, while congratulating the Muslim Ummah for a successful completion of a month of spiritual rejuvenation, reiterates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s firm commitment to providing a safe and prosperous Nigeria for all to thrive,” the statement added.
The Minister congratulated all Muslim faithful for the successful completion of the fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, calling on Muslim faithful to imbibe and practice the virtues of kindness, love, tolerance, peace, good neighbourliness, and compassion as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him).
Mr Tunji-Ojo urged Nigerians to embrace unity to improve and achieve peace and oneness in the country.