It also made January 2, 2023, a holiday to mark the start of the New Year.
The Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, made the announcement in a statement released Thursday in Abuja by the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore.
The minister wished all Nigerians, both at home and in other countries, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Mr. Aregbesola told Christians that they should act like Jesus Christ and follow his teachings, especially about faith, hope, and love.
"We must learn from the way Jesus Christ lived and what he taught about humility, service, compassion, patience, peace, and doing what is right, which is what his birth means."
He said, "This will be the best way to show Christ and honour his birth."
Peace and security are very important for economic growth and prosperity, the minister said.
So, he told Christians and other Nigerians to take advantage of the holiday season to pray for the end of all forms of insecurity in the country.
Mr. Aregbesola reminded Nigerians that 2023 was an election and political transition year, so they should make it a huge success by voting peacefully and not doing anything that could hurt the process.
He gave his word that the federal government had put in place effective steps to protect people and property.
The minister, on the other hand, said that all Nigerians must help security agencies get the peace they want by giving them timely and useful information that will help them do their jobs well.
He told Nigerians that they should always be aware of their safety and report any strange people or things to the nearest security office or through the N-Alert app for Android and iOS.
"If you see something, use N-Alert, as this will get security agents to act quickly," he said.
During the celebration, he asked for strict rules to protect the lives and property of everyone in our community and the country as a whole.
The minister told Nigerians to celebrate in a responsible way and not spread fake news about the country, the government, and the people around them.
Aregbesola told everyone to keep their eyes on the prize and promised that 2023 would be a better year for everyone.
He wished Nigerians a Merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
(Source: gazettengr.com)
