Borno declares Monday public holiday for Islamic new year

The Borno Government has declared Monday as a public holiday in recognition of the Islamic New Year of Hijrah calendar.

The acting Governor of the State, Alhaji Umar Kadafur, announced that Monday would be observed as a public holiday throughout the state.

Kadafur said the decision was in honor of the Islamic New Year, which begins on the first day of the month of Muharram.

According to him, the public holiday aims to provide the Muslim community with the opportunity to reflect on the significance of the Hijrah and to celebrate the Islamic new year in a spirit of unity and devotion.

He said that the Hijrah marks the  migration of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD.

Muharram is also one of the four sacred months in the Islamic calendar, as ordained by Allah (SWT) in the Holy Quran.

The aActing governor extended his best wishes to th Muslims in Borno and around the world, expressing hope for a peaceful, harmonious, and productive new Islamic year.

He urged the Muslim Ummah to uphold values of moderation, piety, tolerance, respect, dignity, and patriotism, which resonate universally.

Kadafur also encouraged Muslims to coexist peacefully with the followers of other faiths, fostering bonds of fraternity, generosity, and mercy that unite humanity.