Islamic New Year: Rep. Saidu Urges FG to Declare 1st Muharram National Holiday

The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and representative of Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency, Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, has called on the Federal Government to officially recognize the first day of Muharram, the beginning of the Islamic calendar, as a national public holiday.

The lawmaker’s appeal was made in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Legislative Aide, Dodo Mustapha Alhaji. In the statement, Hon. Abdullahi extended warm greetings to Muslims in Nigeria and across the globe as they mark the Islamic New Year, 1447 AH.

He commended the leadership of various states including Niger, Borno, Kano, Katsina, Osun, Oyo, and Sokoto for annually declaring the 1st of Muharram a public holiday, noting the spiritual importance of the date to Muslims. Abdullahi urged the Federal Government to follow suit in recognizing the day nationwide.

“In a multi-religious nation like ours, giving equal recognition to sacred observances of all major religions strengthens social cohesion, mutual understanding, and national unity,” the statement read.

According to him, the Islamic New Year is a time for introspection, spiritual renewal, and a reaffirmation of core Islamic principles such as sacrifice, endurance, and devotion, virtues embodied by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his followers during the historic Hijrah.

Hon. Abdullahi encouraged citizens to use the occasion to pray for Nigeria’s peace and progress, show compassion, and work together toward building a united nation.

He reaffirmed his commitment to inclusive policies and legislative actions that uphold Nigeria’s diverse religious and cultural values.