Benue Government Shuts Down For Seven Days To Celebrate Easter Festivities

By Adesina Soyooye

In a first of its kind in Nigeria, the Benue State Government has shut down, for seven-days, to celebrate Easter.

Easter holiday, beginning from Good Friday, the day Jesus Christ crucified to His resurrection on Easter Day, is the holiest and most important days in Christendom. It is at the core of the Christian Faith.

To mark it, therefore, the Governor of Benue State, a Roman Catholic Rev. Father, authorised the declaration of a seven-day public holiday to enable its celebration by Christians in the State.

The directive for the seven- day holiday was conveyed in a statement issued on Tuesday, March 30, by the Permanent Secretary (General Services), Godwin Tyolumun Tighil. He issued it on behalf of Deborah Aber, the Secretary to State Government.

In the statement titled ”Declaration of Public Holiday to Mark Easter

Celebration,”  Benue State workers began their Easter break on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, and would resume work on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

The statement informed that the seven-day public holiday was approved by Governor Hyacinth Alia, who, also, ordered public servants to close work by 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, the day   the holiday began.

Workers in essential services, however, are  to remain on duty.

The Federal Government-declared public holidays for Easter are usually restricted to Friday to mark the crucification of Jesus Christ, and Monday, the day after his resurrection.

It is not known how the Benue State-extended public holiday will affect private businesses, banks and Federal Government institutions.