The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger

  • Niger senator booed at home

    The senator representing Niger North, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, was assaulted and stoned by youths and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kontagora, Niger State.

    The Nation gathered that the senator called APC executives in Kontagora, headquarters of Niger North, for a town hall meeting, the first he is having with stakeholders since 2015.

    A source said the senator was asked why he called a meeting after these years, but he could not give a satisfactory answer; he was also unable to list projects he initiated.

    “The senator was asked to list the projects he initiated or attracted to Kontagora, and his response was that the Muhammadu Buhari-led government neither gave money nor funded their constituency projects. But he was asked what other senators and members of the House of Representatives were using for their projects, if not the same money he is hoarding.

    “Apparently dissatisfied with his answers, APC executives accused him of being in the league of people frustrating programmes and policies of President Buhari. They accused him of diverting money meant for constituency projects and empowerment of his constituents for personal use.

    “He was booed and chased out of the hall,” the source added.

    The Nation learnt that when Abdullahi was leaving, his entourage was pelted with stones despite the security.

    Some youths chased him with motorcycles and cars to his hotel but were not allowed in by security men.

    Efforts to speak with him or his aide were unsuccessful.

    One of the executives, who pleaded for anonymity, said the senator had abandoned his people but came begging for their votes. According to him, the people are not satisfied with his representation.

    The Senator was also attacked in Rijau council, where he visited on Saturday. He was attacked in Babana last month.

  • Police nab two brothers over alleged murder

    Police nab two brothers over alleged murder

    Niger State Police Command has nabbed two suspects in connection with the death of a paint dealer in Bosso Local Government.

    Commissioner of Police Mr. Austine Agbonlahor told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna yesterday that the suspects, who are brothers, were arrested on Monday evening.

    He alleged that they attacked the paint dealer and beat him to death in his shop near Living Faith Church, Bosso, on Monday morning.

    Agbonlahor said investigation had begun, adding that the suspects will be arraigned.

    He said the command was taking measures to tackle security threat.

    “We have deployed plain-clothes security personnel in crime-prone areas to arrest hoodlums,” the commissioner said.

    He urged residents to assist the command with information that will help in arresting bad elements.

  • Monkeypox hit Abuja as FG confirms six fresh cases

    Monkeypox hit Abuja as FG confirms six fresh cases

    The Federal Government has confirmed six new cases of the MonekyPox virus in the country, with one case recorded in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of State for Health, made this known in a statement by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director of Media and Public Relations, Ministry of Heath.

    Akinola said apart from the one recorded in Abuja, two cases were confirmed each in Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom while Enugu State had one case.

    Ehanire also said investigations were ongoing to see if any of the new cases has a link with the Bayelsa cluster, where the outbreak started.

    He further called for calm among members of the public, adding that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is working with all affected states to ensure case finding and adequate management.

    He added that as frightening as the manifestation of the ailment might seem, no fatality has been recorded to date. As of Oct. 25, a total of 94 suspected cases have been reported from 11 states, (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Rivers and Abuja).

    He said patients of the newly confirmed cases were already being managed by public health authorities and have been receiving appropriate clinical care.

    He said Ministry, through NCDC, was in close contact with all State Epidemiology Teams, and the health facilities providing clinical care to both suspected and confirmed cases.

    He added that State Commissioners of Health have been advised to place all health care facilities and Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers on alert, to ensure early case detection, reporting and effective treatment.

    Read also: Monkey Pox victim commits suicide in Bayelsa hospital

    The minister said a National-level Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) led by the NCDC with support from our development partners, was coordinating outbreak investigation and response across affected states.

    He added the EOC included the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as experts from partner agencies.

     

  • Niger Tornadoes receive N10m gift

    Niger Tornadoes receive N10m gift

    Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna on Thursday received N10 million gift from its sponsors, the Niger State Government, for coming second in the maiden AITEO Cup competition.

    The state Governor, Abubakar Bello, who made the announcement when he hosted the club at the Government House, said the team had done well in spite of the 3-2 penalties loss to Akwa United of Uyo on Oct. 15 in Lagos.

    “In every game, there is always a winner and a loser, to us here, you are the winners and you should know that you have moved the state football industry forward.

    “The strength of Niger Tornadoes is now known all over the world and we will continue to support you in areas that will move the club forward.

    “Niger Tornadoes is a brand name and all of you have turned out to be good ambassadors of the state,” Bello said.

    The governor advised the team to work hard so as to make serious impact in the West Africa Football Union Cup.

    To further encourage the team, the governor announced a raise in the monthly grant to the club from N7 million to N10 million, provision of a new bus and a pledge to tackle other challenges including modern facilities.

    According to him, the government is also making investments in other areas to develop potentials and encourage more youth to participate in sports.

    Bello said work on the Bako Kontagora Stadium would be completed in 2018, and the government had given approval for the development of a new football facility at Bahago roundabout, Minna.

    Earlier, Adamu Aliyu, Chairman, Niger Tornadoes FC, said the support they received from the government made it easier for the team  to excel.

    He told the governor that apart from coming second in the competition, the team supporters also emerged as the Best Supporters Club in Nigeria.

    NAN

  • Niger warns against security threat

    Niger warns against security threat

    Niger Government on Tuesday, warned that it would take “swift and decisive enforcement’’ action against any form of security threat in the state.

    Mr Al-Amin Bmitosahi, Chief of Staff, Niger Government House, gave the warning in an interview in Minna on Tuesday.

    He said that the state government had taken proactive security measures to guarantee peaceful co-existence among the residents.

    “We have provided all that is required by our security personnel to deal decisively with any form of security threat,” he said

    Bmitosahi said traditional rulers and other stakeholders had been mobilised to report any suspected movement or bad elements in their locations to the nearest security agency for prompt action.

    ‘’We are not taking things for granted; government will continue to support and motivate security personnel deployed to flush out all the miscreants among us.’’

    He said that the state government would do everything possible to enable residents carry out their legitimate business.

    “We will pursue vigorously all bad elements in our midst for peace, progress and political stability in our state.”

    Bmitosahi said the state government had also directed the 25 local government chairmen to continue to support security agencies in their respective areas for optimal performance.

    He appealed to members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers ( NURTW ) to compliment effort of the state government by furnishing it with intelligence information about movement of dubious characters.

    “Members of the union should always alert security agencies on any person or group of passengers with questionable character.”

    Bmitosahi also called on residents to continue to support the policies and programmes of the present administration in the state, in its efforts to implement people-oriented policies and programmes.

    NAN

  • Buhari for ECOWAS Task Force meeting on common currency ‎in Niamey

    Buhari for ECOWAS Task Force meeting on common currency ‎in Niamey

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari will Tuesday depart for Niamey, Republic of Niger, to participate in a meeting on common currency for the West African sub-region.

    Member countries of the ECOWAS Task Force on Common Currency are ‎Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Niger.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that the President will be accompanied by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele.

    President Buhari will return to Abuja same day after the meeting.

  • Chad withdraws troops from fight against Boko Haram in Niger

    Chad withdraws troops from fight against Boko Haram in Niger

    Chad has withdrawn hundreds of troops from neighbouring Niger, where they were helping local forces fight Boko Haram Islamist militants, humanitarian sources and officials said.

    The pull-out over the past two weeks could weaken a region-wide struggle against the militants who have killed tens of thousands of people, forced many more to flee and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

    There was no immediate explanation or comment from defense officials in Chad.

    The move came a month after the vast central African country complained about an unexpected U.S. travel ban imposed on its nationals.

    Chad warned at the time the order could affect its security commitments, which include its involvement in the U.S.-backed fight against Boko Haram.

    Residents said the withdrawal had already had an impact on Niger’s Diffa region, which has seen a string of attacks by Boko Haram militants crossing over from their base in neighbouring Nigeria.

    Ibrahim Arimi from the border village of Bosso said banditry had increased since the Chadian troops started leaving and he had been temporarily moved to another village for safety.

    Diffa parliamentarian Lamido Moumouni said residents had started complaining.

    “They have come to rely on the forces so there is a perception that security will be lacking,” he said by telephone.

    At its peak in 2016 after an attack in Bosso, Chad had 2,000 troops in Niger to help counter Boko Haram  although security sources said this has fallen since.

    Boko Haram has attacked Chad, Niger and Cameroon from its base in northeast Nigeria.

    Its eight-year bid to carve out an Islamist caliphate has driven millions from their homes, no fewer than 200,000 of them are now based in Diffa, with little prospect of returning home.

    Thousands of them are camped alongside an unfinished highway in the middle of a barren savannah with few resources.

    Chad’s soldiers also occupy front-line positions in a peacekeeping force in northern Mali.

    Analysts say falling oil revenues after the price crash in 2014 has also sapped Chad’s appetite for expensive regional security commitments. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Niger to enact law regulating weight of trucks

    Niger to enact law regulating weight of trucks

    The Niger Government, has concluded plan to enact a law that would regulate the weight of trucks, plying the state roads, Gov. Abubakar Bello said on Tuesday in Minna.

    The disclosure was contained in a press statement signed by Idris Ndache, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and made this available.

    Bello expressed displeasure on the damage being done to major roads in the state by heavy duty and articulated vehicles.

    Aside from the proposed legislation, the governor of Niger state, said government would reintroduce weighbridge in order to ensure that operators of the affected trucks comply with the carrying capacity of our roads.

    The governor particularly expressed dismay on the deplorable state of Minna/Suleja federal highway.

    He said that the frequency at which repaired roads were damaged was due to the activities of overloaded vehicles plying the roads.

    Bello noted that despite the economic downturn in the country, the state had committed huge resources in rehabilitating major roads in the state.

    He expressed dissatisfaction that all efforts had failed to deliver the desired result, as the roads were damaged by overloaded heavy duty trucks as soon as they were fixed.

    “We cannot continue to use public funds to repair roads while heavy duty trucks destroy our efforts.

    “We have tried our best to see to it that our roads are in good condition for the benefit of our people.

    “But the more we repair the roads, the more overloaded heavy duty and articulated vehicles damage the roads.

    “We are coming up with strong laws that will prohibit trucks carrying overloads on our highways”.

    Gov. Bello tasked the law enforcement agencies to enforce various highway codes and laws, by ensuring that overloaded vehicles are not permitted to ply the roads.

    NAN

  • Customs seizes 3, 278 bags of rice, 55 vehicles

    Customs seizes 3, 278 bags of rice, 55 vehicles

    The Niger Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service, says it generated N1.9 billion from January to September.

    The Area Controller, Mr Benjamin Binga, on Tuesday in Minna said that the command also seized 3, 278 bags of rice and 55 vehicles with Duty Paid Value of N52.6 million and 51.6 million respectively during the period.

    According to him, the command, made up of Niger, Kogi and Kwara states, will meet its 2017 revenue target of N2.8 billion by the end of the year.

    The controller stressed that customs personnel would continue to mount surveillance and adopt measures to make smuggling impossible in the area.

    “The command has deployed competent officers to manage all identified illegal routes used by smugglers to bring in unwholesome goods into the country,” Binga said.

    He solicited for the support of community leaders in the three states to assist customs field officers with vital information on the movement of smugglers.

    NAN

  • Niger updates death toll from militant attack to 7

    Niger updates death toll from militant attack to 7

    Four Nigerien troops and three U.S. soldiers were killed in an attack earlier this week in southwest Niger near the border with Mali, the Defense Ministry said on Friday.

    The ministry updated the casualty figures from the ambush on Thursday, adding the death toll of their own forces to the three soldiers already named by the U.S. side.

    Eight other Nigeriens were wounded, as were two members of the U.S. forces who are providing training to the Nigerien Army on combating extremists in the region.

    The joint patrol was ambushed by terrorist elements in a dozen vehicles and on 20 motorbikes,” Niger’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

    Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou said in an earlier address that the terrorist attack had claimed “a significant number of victims.”

    “Our country has once again been the victim of an attack by terrorist groups,’’ Issoufou said in a speech on Thursday at the opening of an economic forum in the capital Naimey.

    The U.S. Africa Command has said their two injured servicemen have been evacuated to Germany for medical treatment.

    The attack took place around 200 kilometres north of Niamey, near the border with Mali, where the terrorist group al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is active.

    NAN