By Damilare Adeleye
Governor Umar Bago of Niger State has debunked report that the state government has banned alcoholic drinks in the state.
Bago made this rebuttal in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.
He said such a directive was neither issued by him nor his aides, urging the public to disregard the report emanating from social media and blogs.
The governor said his attention has been drawn to a report making the rounds of some blogs claiming that the Niger State Government has prohibited the sale of alcohol.
He noted that such was said to have come through the state’s Liquor and Licensing Board, prohibiting alcohol in nine local government areas of the state, including Suleja.
“We wish to state categorically that the governor, who has been busy initiating and overseeing many people-centered projects across the state, never issued such a directive.
“The liquor and Licensing board is yet to be constituted by the governor, as such, no directive of this kind can come from a board yet to be formed,” he said.
According to the statement, the governor has directed security agents to arrest the self-appointed Secretary of the board by name Mohammed Ibrahim.
He said the motives of the imposter and the reasons behind the pronouncement must be understood.