Abbas marks 60th birthday with humanitarian gestures to inmates, IDPs

Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday marked his 60th birthday, choosing to celebrate with humanitarian gestures that touched the lives of prison inmates and displaced persons rather than a lavish party.

From paying examination fees for 100 correctional inmates to securing the release of nine others and donating food and cash to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Abbas’ diamond jubilee was more about giving than receiving.

At the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja, the Speaker covered the registration fees of 57 inmates for the 2025 National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) exams, and 43 others for the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Represented by Chamberlain Dunkwu, his Deputy Chief of Staff (Legislative), Abbas described education as a vital pathway to reform and reintegration.

“Conviction is not condemnation,” he said.

“The registration of inmates for NABTEB and NECO is not merely an academic exercise — it is a statement of faith in human dignity and redemption.”
An emotional moment came when Dunkwu met Chikwendu Hart, an inmate who has been awaiting trial for 13 years while pursuing a PhD at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Hart, who has also authored seven books in custody, received a personal cash donation of N1 million from Dunkwu.

In Zaria, Kaduna State, the Speaker secured the freedom of nine inmates by paying bail bonds totalling more than N3 million.

The beneficiaries included Ibrahim Dan’asabe, Kabir Ibrahim, Ibrahim Ahmed, Haruna Musa, Aliyu Tukur, Prince Wadilor Wodu, Mustapha Abubakar, Sagir Sani and Shehu Abubakar.

For IDPs, Abbas turned his attention to Kabusa Camp in Abuja, donating over 1,000 bags of rice. His wife, Hajia Fatima Abbas, added N2 million, while his aides, Dr. Dunkwu and Alhaji Ilyasu Balarabe, contributed N1 million each.

Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Chike Okafor, also announced a N1 million donation.

Medical personnel from Nizamiye Hospital, Abuja, provided free healthcare services to the IDPs as part of the celebration.

Abbas said the milestone was less about cutting cakes and more about showing compassion.

“Leadership is not only about legislation and policies, but also about love, empathy and service to humanity,” he said. “We are here to reaffirm that no Nigerian should ever feel forgotten or abandoned.”

He commended government agencies and humanitarian partners for their support, pledging that the House of Representatives would continue to push for policies that protect the vulnerable.

“As I celebrate this milestone of life,” he said, “I dedicate it to service — to humanity, to the vulnerable, and to our great nation.”

Hajia Fatima described her husband as “a patriotic leader and an exceptional philanthropist,” adding: “His birthday is not only a moment for celebration but also an opportunity to reflect on the blessings of life. I count myself as the luckiest woman to have him as a husband. He is a perfect gentleman.”