SUBSIDY PROTEST: NIGER SETS UP COMMITTEE TO ASSESS LEVEL OF DESTRUCTION

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has inaugurated a 13-man committee to document the level of damage done to government and individual property during the mass protest over fuel subsidy removal.

Irate youths in Minna had last week taken advantage of the organised labour mass protest to wreak havoc in Minna, the state capital and other cities including Lambata in Gawu Babangida area of the state, resulting in the burning of houses, cars and destruction of government facilities.

In an enlarged meeting of the State Executive Council on Monday, attended by security chiefs in the state, leadership of the State House of Assembly, local government council chairmen and some leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Aliyu described the violence as a disheartening experience considering the enormous destruction of government facilities.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Danladi Abdulhameed, stated that the committee headed by the state Commissioner for Health, Yahaya DanSallau, was mandated to identify those affected and determine the value of property destroyed in the mayhem.

He explained that government was concerned with the destruction of its property in the mayhem, adding that it was well planned, executed and masterminded by those who were not members of the organised labour.

The governor according to the Information Commissioner was worried over the target on public property which he attributed to inadequate information on government people oriented programmes, adding that the governor has directed all government officials to embark on adequate publicity of programmes at the grassroots level.

He said that government has also decided to take more proactive measures to curb future occurrences of such ugly incident by enacting an internal security bill.

The bill, according to the commissioner, has been sent to the State House of Assembly and urged the Speaker, Mohammed Gamunu to ensure speedy passage of the bill.