The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ibrahim Balarabe

  • Woman docked for cheating another of N150, 000 to procure visa

    The police on Monday arraigned a 25-year-old woman, Jennifer Samuel in a Kubwa Grade1 Area Court for allegedly cheating one Queen Augustine of N150, 000 to procure UAE visa.

    Samuel, who lives in Kajini, Abuja is charged with criminal breach of trust and cheating.

    The prosecutor, John Okpa told the court that Augustine reported the matter at the Kubwa Police Station on April 9.

    He said the defendant collected N150, 000 from the complainant to with a promise to procure a Visa to Dubai, United Arab Emirates for her on Feb. 7.Okpa said the defendant however converted the money to her personal use.

    He said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

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    The defence counsel, Lilian Ibrahim prayed the court to admit her client to bail in the most liberal terms.

    The prosecutor drew the court’s attention to the fact that the defendant’s address was not clearly stated in the First Information Report.

    He added that sureties who are not civil servants form the habit of running away after taking suspects on bail and suggested that the court should consider it if bail is granted.

    The judge, , admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N200, 000 with one reliable surety, who must be a civil servant from Grade Level 8, resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

    He also ordered that the surety must produce a copy of his last promotion letter and identity card.

    He adjourned the matter until May 3 for hearing.

  • ‘Minna-Suleja road has outlived its usefulness’

    The Niger state Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe has said that the reason for the continuous failing of the Minna-Suleja road after various rehabilitation is because the Road has outlived its usefulness.

    He explained that the construction design has expired.
     
    The Commissioner who disclosed this to newsmen in Minna on Monday said that this is the reason why the state government have embarked on total reconstruction of the road.

    “The Minna-Suleja road which happens to be a federal road has outlived its usefulness. The construction design has expired. What the government has done before was to rehabilitate the failing sections of the road buy having realized that each time we address the falling sections, it will not take a reasonable time and another section will fail. This is why we decided to go for total reconstruction putting in measures to ensure the roads do not return to its former state. “

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    Balarabe said that though the state government is investing on the road, the control of the road still lies with the federal government.
    He disclosed that the state government has put in some remedial measures to ensure that the roads last longer unlike the past, “as part of the remedial measure, we introduced the suspension of heavy trucks along the road until 10 pm. This is aimed at embarking on the reconstruction without hindrance and to reduce the damages caused by the plying of the road. “

  • Another bridge washed out by heavy rain in Niger

    The Rafin Gora Bridge along the Kontagora – Makera federal highway in Niger state has been washout due to heavy torrential rain.

    To this end, the state government has directed the closure of the road and banned heavy duty trucks from passing through the route to avoid further deterioration of the road.

    However, smaller vehicles have been admitted to use a small portion that has been opened by the side of the bridge.

    This directive was given by the state Commissioner of works, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe during an assessment of the road.

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    He lamented that most of the washed away roads being experienced in the raining season were federal roads, adding that efforts are being made to ensure that the damaged portion is fixed while efforts towards ensuring lasting solution is being explored.

    Balarabe bemoaned that this year’s rain season have been the most challenging in the state as it pose a serious threat to roads in the state.

    The Federal Controller of Works in Niger State, Engineer Iheanacho Felix said work would commence on the collapsed road as soon as the rains subside while he appealed for  patience and support from the communities and government.

    This would bring to bear the third bridge washed out by rains in the state.

  • Niger spends N3bn on Minna – Suleja Road – Commissioner

    The Niger Government is spending about N3 billion on the reconstruction of 74-kilometre Minna – Suleja federal road, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, has said.

    Balarabe disclosed this in an interview with Newsmen in Minna on Thursday.

    He said that the state government had embarked on reconstructing the road because of its significance to the socio-economic and political growth of the state.

    ‘‘It is a Federal Government’s road but as a responsible government, we need to repair the road.

    ‘‘There is need for political commitment to put the road in proper condition for the benefit of people plying the road.

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    ‘‘I am very pleased with the level of job so far executed as the project has reached 70 per cent completion,’’ he said.

    He emphasised that the project, when completed, would enhance commercial activities in the state.

    The commissioner urged heavy truck drivers to complement the effort of the state government by desisting from overloading and obeying traffic rules and regulations.

    He said it was only by so doing that the life-span of the road would be increased.

  • Niger Assembly confirms commissioner 14 nominees, rejects one

    Niger Assembly confirms commissioner 14 nominees, rejects one

    Niger state House of Assembly on Thursday rejected the nomination of the former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state,  Kabiru Abbas Musa.

    However, the House confirmed the nomination of 14 other nominees.

    The exercise was concluded after the screening of Hajiya Fatima Magudu who was the immediate past Commissioner for Education in the state.

    When the name of Kabiru Abbas was announced for confirmation, the lawmakers gave a resounding “No.”

    However, no reason was given for his rejection.

    Three other nominees were not screened due to pending petitions which have not been resolved as the Committee of Petitions and Privileges have not concluded sitting on the matters.

    The Speaker of the House, Ahmed Marafa, said the nominees would be screened after the lawmakers return from break next year.

    Those confirmed as commissioners were – Zakari Bawa, Dr. Mustapha Jibril, Hajiya Ramatu Yar’adua, Aliyu Zakari Jikantoro, Zakari Abubakar,  Barr. Amina Musa, Ibrahim Balarabe, Idris Jibril Amin, Mamman Musa,  Nasara Danmallam, Engineer Ibrahim Mohammed Panti, Mohammed Baba Adamu, Ismaila Ibrahim and Fatima Magudu.