Angry crowd stones outgoing Governor Aliyu in Minna calling him thief and barawo

OUTGOING Niger State governor Dr Babangida Aliyu was booed and stoned at yesterday's handover ceremony in Minna by an irate crowd who called him a thief for looting the state's treasury.

 

Dr Aliyu, who bowed out and handed over to his successor Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, was unable to present his farewell speech as a result of the ensuing pandemonium. Shouts of barawo, thief, ole, change has come, ‘your time has gone, filled the air as he arrived at the venue in the morning.

 

As he was seated at the pavilion at the Bako Kontagora Memorial Stadium in Minna, the Niger State capital, stones and sachets of water were hauled at him. Consequently, men from the 31 Artillery Brigade were drafted to the stadium to quell the situation and after the swearing-in, police had to fire tear-gas into the air to disperse the angry crowd, leading to a stampede.

 

Governor Aliyu, who prided himself on being the chief servant of the state, had been advised against attending the ceremony to forestall such an occurrence. However, he attended and the crowd showed their displeasure with him, blaming him for the state's plethora of socio-economic woes.

 

Despite the pandemonium, however, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello and his deputy, Alhaji Mohammed Ketso were administered the oath of office and allegiance by the Niger State Chief Judge, Justice Lami Abubakar. After the swearing-in, the former governor was smuggled out of the stadium amidst tight security led by the state commissioner of police to avoid being mobbed by the crowd.

 

In his inaugural address titled Repositioning the State For Peace and Development, Governor Bello said that although he was taking over at a critical period, all would be done to put smiles on the faces of Nigerlites. He added that his administration would carry out a forensic audit to determine the state's debt profile.

 

"As the administration settles down, we will examine the books and study what is being handed over to us. As a follow-up to the debt burden being bequeathed to us by the outgoing administration, I will like to use this opportunity to assure Nigerlites that this administration will carry out a forensic audit to determine our debt profile and bonds with a view to determining how these funds were applied and for which projects," Governor Bello added.

 

Governor Aliyu, who was the chairman of the Northern Nigeria Governors Forum, was a close associate of President Goodluck Jonathan. His People's Democratic Party have now lost control of Niger State to Governor Bello's All Progressives Congress.