In its determination to construct quality roads, the Niger State Government has engaged a private consulting firm, BENIJ Nigeria Limited, to provide technical consultancy services for the construction of 556km of roads across 25 local government areas in the state.
Governor Umaru Bago, who decried the infrastructural deficit, especially roads, in the state, said his administration was poised to significantly turn around the situation for the good of the people.
He expressed optimism that the roads, when completed, will attract investors and make business easy for them.
The signing of the agreement, which took place at the Niger State Government Lodge, Abuja, was in line with the urban renewal policy of the administration.
The governor explained that engaging the services of the consulting firm was to ensure quality control and value for money, hence the engagement of the consulting firm.
He said more road projects were expected to be carried out, disclosing that this was the first phase of the projects.
The Lead Consultant, BENIJ Nigeria Limited, Olatunji Ajayi, reassured the state government of the much-needed expertise that will ensure quality is attained.
The consulting firm is to come up with a detailed design for the projects within five weeks.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Hassan Etsu, signed on behalf of the Niger State Government, while the Lead Consultant, BENIJ Nigeria Limited, Olatunji Ajayi, signed for the firm.
Police operatives attached to Tafa Division of the Niger State Police Command have arrested three armed robbery suspects while on routine patrol around Lolo layout of Dakwa Area of Tafa Local Government of the state.
Niger State police command spokesperson FSP Wasiu Abidoun, who disclosed this in a press release issued and signed by him and obtained by Newsline today, said that the police had responded to a distress call of an attempted robbery on the street in the area and swung into action from where they arrested the suspects.
He said that the robbery suspects, however, on sighting the police, took to their heels as they were pursued and trailed to a tea seller Kiosk around the NATO Garage in Deidei, Abuja, where they were arrested.
The suspects, according to the press release, were Suleman Yahaya, 21 years old; Umar Suleiman, 25 years old; and Khalifa Abdulraham, 18 years old, all of Deidei, Abuja.
The suspects, according to him, had during interrogation by the police, confessed to be members of a robbery syndicate terrorising Dakwa, Deidei and its environs.
The three arrested suspects, however, mentioned three other members of their gang who were at large at the time of their arrest.
They are Hassan Lamar and Bakano. A search was conducted in the kiosk, and the following items were recovered from them: one double-barreled gun, one pump-action gun, one locally fabricated gun, 248 wraps of substance suspected to be Indian Hemp, one cutlass, one knife, and three scissors.
The suspects were to be transferred to SCID for further investigation, and they will be charged to court for prosecution on completion of the investigation of the matter.
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