The Federal Government has declared Monday, October 3 as public holiday to mark the country’s 62nd Independence anniversary.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made the announcement via a statement issued on Wednesday by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore.

Aregbesola congratulated Nigerians on the celebration and assured government’s commitment to tackling the challenges facing the nation and bring smiles to the faces of Nigerians.

“The world is going through dire economic and security challenges which have also affected our nation.

“However, I am assuring us all that the government will not abandon the people, but will continue to confront all these challenges with all the might at its disposal until respite comes our way,” the minister said.

Aregbesola reiterated the eminent position of Nigeria in the comity of nations and the greatness ahead of the country “if we work hard as a people”.

“Our warmth, welcoming spirit and love as well as our unbounded human capital and the richness of our land, make Nigeria unarguably the leading black nation in the world and Africa’s pride and beacon of hope.

“If we can rally ourselves together to harness our potentials, we shall be the greatest nation on earth.

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“A country of over 200 million people whose natural talents, grit and passion glitter like the precious diamond that we are.

“Nigerians are sparkling like diamonds in the pack, whether in the academia, science and technology, business, innovation, music, entertainment, fashion or culture,” Aregbesola stated.

The minister further admonished Nigerians to use the occasion to reflect on the challenges facing the nation and the role they can play in addressing them.

He urged Nigerians to work hard and shun any attraction to get rich through criminal and other immoral means.

While wishing Nigerians a memorable independence celebration, he reminded them of the fact that Nigeria’s founding fathers, in spite the differences in faith, tribe and tongue, worked together for the country’s independence.

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to join hands with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in its quest to ensure a better Nigeria for all citizens, both at home and abroad.

This, he said, would be a befitting tribute to the country’s past heroes.

The minister also urged Nigerians to shun violence, be security conscious, and report any suspicious persons or activities to the nearest security agency through the N-Alert application on Android and IOS.

“When you see something, do N-Alert for prompt response from security agents,” he added.

The Star