The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen celebrated his 60th birthday by providing humanitarian services to Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) and prison inmates.
Speaker Abbas, who turned 60 on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, had called for low-key celebrations by House members, aides, friends, and political associates. Instead, he called for humanitarian campaigns.
To mark his Diamond Jubilee birthday, the Speaker lined up a series of humanitarian activities, including sponsoring examinations for prison inmates and securing the release of others by paying their bail. He also gave food items to IDPs.
At the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja, Abbas paid registration fees for 100 inmates to sit the 2025 National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and National Examinations Council (NECO) tests. While 57 will sit for the NABTEB examination, 43 were registered for the NECO.
The Speaker was represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff (Legislative), Dr Chamberlain Dunku, who led several senior aides to the presentation ceremony on Tuesday.
Speaker Abbas said: “Identifying with the (Nigerian Correctional) Service in the area of quality transformation of inmates through education is a cause that is very close to my heart. This celebration goes beyond personal milestones; it is about extending hope, giving second chances and investing in the future of our brothers and sisters who, though confined today, still carry within them the potential for greatness tomorrow.
“The registration of inmates for the 2025 NABTEB and NECO is not merely an academic exercise — it is a statement of faith in human dignity and redemption. It is a reminder that conviction is not condemnation, and that every life can be transformed when given the right opportunity.”
He added: “As Speaker of the House of Representatives, I reaffirm our commitment to policies and initiatives that promote education, justice and opportunities for all Nigerians — inside and outside the correctional facilities.”
Moved by an inmate’s story, Dr Dunkwu, in personal capacity, gave a cash gift of N1 million to Chikwendu Hart, who is currently pursuing a doctorate at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), and has published seven books while awaiting trial for 13 years.
On Wednesday, Speaker Abbas spent over N3 million on bail bonds in Zaria, securing the release of nine inmates from the Zaria Medium Correctional Centre.
The beneficiaries are Ibrahim Dan’asabe (N240,000), Kabir Ibrahim (N180,000), Ibrahim Ahmed (N60,000), Haruna Musa (N350,000), Aliyu Tukur (N390,000), Prince Wadilor Wodu (N326,000), Mustapha Abubakar (N410,000), Sagir Sani (N685,000) and Shehu Abubakar (N440,000).
Also on Wednesday, Speaker Abbas donated food items to IDPs at the Kabusa Camp. The palliatives include over 1000 bags of rice.
This is just as his wife, Hajia Fatima Abbas-Tajudeen, donated N2 million to the IDPs. In contrast, both the Deputy Chief of Staff (Legislative), Dr Chamberlain Nnamdi Dunkwu, and the Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration), Alhaji Ilyasu Balarabe, donated N1 million.
Hon Chike Okafor, chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, also announced an N1 million gift to the IDPs to support the Speaker’s humanitarian gesture and described Speaker Abbas as “a national asset.”
Medical personnel from Nizamiye Hospital, Abuja, were also on the ground to offer free healthcare services to the IDPs as part of the humanitarian services in honour of the Speaker.
Addressing the IDPs through Dr Dunkwu, the Speaker noted that the gathering was not just about marking his 60th birthday but about “extending a hand of compassion, solidarity, and hope to our fellow Nigerians who, through no fault of theirs, have found themselves displaced.”
He also stated that the event “is a testament to the fact that leadership is not only about legislation and policies, but also about love, empathy, and service to humanity.”
Speaker Abbas said, “We are here to reaffirm that no Nigerian should ever feel forgotten or abandoned. The House of Representatives remains committed to policies and initiatives that protect the vulnerable, empower the displaced, and restore dignity to every citizen.”
The Speaker commended the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), partners and all stakeholders who made the humanitarian exercise a reality.
“Your efforts ensure that beyond the symbolic cake-cutting and relief distribution, there is a lasting impact on the lives of those we are privileged to serve,” he said.
While telling the IDPs that their “resilience inspires us all,” Abbas assured them that their welfare remains a top priority for the government, “we will continue to support measures that provide education, healthcare, food security, and opportunities for a better future.”
He stated: “As I celebrate this milestone of life, I dedicate it to service — to humanity, to the vulnerable, and to our great nation.”
Also speaking, Hajia Fatima noted that Speaker Abbas’ birthday was not just a day to celebrate, but also to thank Allah (SWT) for the journey so far, and to reflect on life generally.
She said: “His Excellency is not just a patriotic leader, he is also a caring and supportive husband; a protective, affectionate and encouraging father; and an exceptional philanthropist—a humble prince of the ancient Zazzau Emirate. I count myself as the luckiest woman to have him as a husband. He is a perfect gentleman.”
