By Jeffrey Agbo
The honours come amid backlash faced by the Federal Government for purchasing vehicles worth ₦1.14 billion for Niger Republic to address insecurity.
Niger Republic on Wednesday awarded national honours to six Nigerians as part of activities to mark her Independence Day.
They are two presidential aides, two businessmen and two state governors.
Those honoured from the Presidency were Sarki Abba, Senior Special Assistant (Household and Domestic Affairs) to President Muhammadu Buhari, and the State Chief of Protocol, Amb. Lawal Kazaure.
Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group and Abdulsamad Rabi’u, President, BUA Group, were honoured.
The Nigerien government also honoured Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa and Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara.
They were awarded the “Order of Merit of Niger’’ and “Great Master of National Awards’’.
The honours come amid backlash faced by the Federal Government for purchasing vehicles worth ₦1.14 billion for Niger Republic to address insecurity.
Presenting the awards, Niger President Mohammed Bazoum said his country cherishes Nigeria as one of her closest neighbours and friends.
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In various citations he read, Bazoum praised the efforts of “Brother Nigerians’’ who had made great strides in increasing understanding between the two nations and for acting as agents of social and economic development.
Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Bagudu, was one of those who graced the occasion.
President Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, stated in Abuja on Wednesday that the awards were in recognition of the recipients’ roles in the promotion of better relations between the two countries.
Niger got her independence from France on August 3, 1960.
The Francophone country also marks the day as “Tree Planting Day’’ as its nationals have been planting trees on the anniversary since 1975 to fight desertification.
