President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians to pray for bandits and terrorists to abandon violence, expressing hope that those involved in criminal activities may still “rethink and abandon their evil ways.”

In his Eid-el-Kabir message released on Tuesday, the President said the Islamic festival serves as a reminder of faith, sacrifice, obedience and national unity, urging citizens to embrace compassion, tolerance and selflessness in the collective effort to rebuild the country.

Tinubu acknowledged the persistent security challenges confronting parts of the country, noting that despite sustained offensives by the military and intelligence agencies including recent operations targeting high-profile terrorist elements some communities continue to suffer attacks.