• Kefas grants 24 inmates clemency as body seeks issue-based campaigns

Leaders in government and other organisations have congratulated Nigerians on the country’s 66th Independence anniversary, urging peace, unity and focus, even as they paid tribute to the country’s founding fathers and those whose sacrifices have sustained the country over six decades.

Felicitating with the people of Borno State and Nigerians, Governor Babagana Zulum called on citizens to protect the peace that the state has worked so hard to regain, and on politicians and their supporters to keep campaigns free of rancour as the election season begins.

He restated his commitment to consolidating peace, protecting citizens’ rights, laying a sound foundation for younger generations, and ensuring the safe, voluntary and dignified resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees.

From Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq charged Nigerians to see Independence Day as a time to reflect on the country’s resilience, diversity and shared identity, and to renew commitment to building a nation of choice.

He commended citizens for their courage, enterprise, creativity and determination against all odds, urging them to reject violence, criminality, hate speech, and to embrace peace and collective security.

For some 24 inmates in Taraba State, it was an independence anniversary to remember, as Governor Agbu Kefas, following a review of their cases, granted them pardons.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to the safety and welfare of residents, Kefas warned against violence and the sponsorship of criminal activities.

He disclosed that the decision followed consultations with the Taraba State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, and in the interest of justice and humanity, while urging the beneficiaries to use the opportunity responsibly, obey the law, live peaceably and contribute positively to their families and communities.

Also, the representative of Kogi Central District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has backed President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, calling for sustained accountability and improvements where challenges remain.

In her goodwill message to Nigerians, Akpoti-Uduaghan also urged citizens to remain hopeful about Nigeria’s future, stressing the need for national unity and commitment to economic and human development.

She said the anniversary should remind Nigerians of the sacrifices of the nation’s founding generation and the responsibility of present leaders and citizens to build a more prosperous and inclusive country.

In the meantime, the Muslim Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged political actors, their supporters, and citizens to embrace issue-based, violence-free campaigns ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

It also called on Nigerians to promote peaceful coexistence, religious tolerance, and mutual respect to strengthen national unity, according to a statement by the National President, Prof. Dikhrullah Yagboyaju, marking Nigeria’s Independence Day.

Yagboyaju said the anniversary offered Nigerians an opportunity to reflect on the country’s journey since independence and renew their commitment to national unity, peace and development, adding that the country has recorded gradual progress in infrastructure, education, economic reforms and democratic consolidation over the decades.