President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday used his 2026 Eid-el-Kabir message to urge Nigerians to set aside divisions and strengthen national unity, saying his administration remains committed to building a country where people can live in peace, worship freely and pursue their dreams without fear.
Tinubu said the sacrifices and efforts of the past three years had helped produce a more stable economy and made Nigeria a preferred investment destination that can drive jobs and growth. He said the reforms underway would continue to improve security and expand opportunities, even as he acknowledged that terrorists and bandits still attack some communities. He also said security and intelligence agencies had recently eliminated a wanted ISIS leader.
The president tied his appeal to the meaning of Eid-el-Kabir, urging Muslims and other Nigerians to reflect on sacrifice, love and unity. He said the central lesson of the festival is mercy and compassion regardless of race, ethnicity or creed, and asked citizens to reach out to the less privileged, share with their neighbours and strengthen bonds of brotherhood. He also called on Muslim faithful to pray for the country, peace in communities and wisdom for those in leadership.
The message came as the Federal Government declared Wednesday, May 27, 2026, and Thursday, May 28, 2026, as public holidays for Eid-el-Kabir. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced the holidays in a statement issued by Magdalene Ajani, saying the declaration showed the government’s respect for the faith and spiritual heritage of millions of Nigerian Muslims at home and in the Diaspora.
There was still a hard edge beneath the holiday greetings. Tinubu paired his call for mercy with a warning to those behind violence, saying criminals should rethink their ways or face the full weight of the law. That mix of reassurance and warning reflects the pressure his government is under to show that economic reform, security gains and national healing can move at the same time.
Elsewhere, Barau I. Jibrin, the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, also called for prayers, unity and charity in his Sallah message. He urged Muslims and all Nigerians to support the poor and vulnerable, congratulated Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and asked them to remember Nigeria and its leaders in their prayers. For Tinubu, the immediate test is whether the holiday message can translate into public confidence once the celebrations end.
