…orders closure of hotels
Despite the directives by Niger State Governor, Hon. Umaru Bago, Chairman of Suleja Local Gvernment Area, Alhaji Isiyaku Bawa Naibi has vowed to enforce a ban on the sale in his area. This is coming just as Naibi added that he will ensure that all hotels operating below standard are closed down.
It should be recalled that, Governor Bago had disassociated his administration from the ban of sales of alcohol as that was not the immediate priority of his administration even though Niger is a Shari’a state.
The governor, according to a statement from the state government, had vehemently denied that he imposed a ban on alcohol sales and consumption in specific areas in the state, especially Suleja Local Government Area of the state.
He categorically dismissed as baseless such assertions, saying that he never issued such directives adding that the statement attributed to the Secretary of the Niger State Liquor and Licensing Board, Ibrahim Mohammed, did not emanate from the state government.
In addition to the denial, the Governor had instructed security agents to apprehend the author of the statement, one Mohammed Ibrahim, the self-appointed Secretary of the non-existent board, to investigate the motives behind the false pronouncement.
While emphasising the commitment of his administration to safeguard citizens’ fundamental rights, including freedom of religion, the governor assured residents that such misleading information hold no merit in the policies of his government and therefore urged citizens to continue their lawful activities without let or hinderance.
But the council boss in a meeting with hoteliers and beer parlour operators at the council secretariat during the week made it clear that his council was going ahead with the enforcement on the sales of alcohol.
According to one of the operators who did not want his name mentioned, the chairman specifically told them to disregard the statement by the state government, warning that he will not allow the sales of alcohol in his council despite the governor’s directives.
“We just held a meeting with the council chairman and he told us that the council was going ahead with the ban on the sales of alcohol in his council.
“He (Chairman) also said we should pretend that we did not see any statement from the state government or the governor and that such statement is political and that the reality is that he will not allow the sales of alcohol in his council”.
He was also quoted to have vowed to closed down all hotels in Suleja and its environs except those that meet operational standards that has been laid down, adding that such hotels should be ready to pay the new approved tax by the council.
However, all attempts to get the council chairman to comment on the issue did not yield any result as his phone was not reachable after several efforts.