By Suleiman Yakubu

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has entered into a partnership with a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, Bayer AG, for sustainable agriculture in the state.
The partnership meeting was held in New York, United States of America, between Governor Mohammed Bago and his team and the Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Science, and Sustainability of Bayer AG, Mathias Berninger.
The partnership was aimed at working on a comprehensive strategy centred on access to innovation in agriculture, research and development, improved seed varieties and food production, and biotechnology, among others.
According to a press statement issued by Mal. Bologi Ibrahim, the chief press secretary to the state governor, the partnership with the popular German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and the Niger state government was expected to mobilise international partners that will, in the long run, promote self-sufficiency and food security. 

By Suleiman Yakubu

Four persons who were alleged to have killed a 25-year-old Fulani herdsman in Tugan Mallam area in Paikoro Local Government area of Niger State have been remanded in Minna Federal Correctional Custody on the orders of Minna Chief Magistrate Court Number 2.
The Presiding Chief Magistrate, Hajiya Fati Umar Hassan, who gave the order, disclosed that her court has no jurisdiction to hear the case as only the state high court has jurisdiction.
The four defendants included Yahaya Jibrin, Yakubu Hassan, Abubakar Danladi, and Abubakar Ali, all herdsmen, residents of Fulani settlement camp in Lambata area of Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR), marked MN/CMC/CR/6/2024, they were standing trial on four counts of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, causing grievous hurt, and mischief by fire.
The police prosecutor, Mua'azu Abdullahi ASP, said the four-count charges were punishable under sections 97, 221, 248, and 337 of the penal code law.
He told the court that the four defendants conspired among themselves with one another (now at large) and armed themselves with cutlasses, attacked, and macheted Abdulraheem Yakubu and Sanusi Bello all over their bodies, and Sanusi Bello died instantly, while Abdulraheem Yakubu was rushed to a clinic in Tugan Mallam, where he died while in the clinic.
He further told the court that after killing them, the defendants went further to set their dead bodies on fire and also set their houses and their properties ablaze.
When the charges were read to them by the presiding Chief Magstrate, Hajiya Fati Umar Hassan, one of them pleaded guilty and admitted committing the heinous offences.
At this point, she told the defendants that her court was only taking their plea on a preliminary hearing as she lacked the jurisdiction to try them in court.
While adjourning the case for further mention on January 24, 2024, Hajiya Fati Umar Hassan told the prosecutor to hasten up and send their case file to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the state Ministry of Justice for legal advice and ordered them to be remanded in correctional custody.