By Suleiman Yakubu

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has said that the state will not accept the poor work being done at the runway of Minna International Airport.
The governor, who was at the facility to assess the reconstruction of the runway, was visibly angry.
He told the contractor that the work was poor, shabbily executed, and unacceptable to the state. He observed that the contractor did not meet the required standard of the contract despite the funds he had received.
During one of the governor's inspection visits, the contractor was assured to deliver standard work in mid-August 2023.
He then charged the contractor to immediately return to the site and fix the runway to the agreed standard as the state prepares to receive guests for the upcoming Green Economy Summit slated for the 24th and 25th of October, 2023.
The Governor was accompanied by his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Kabir Yusuf Muhammad, the chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Abdullahi Idris Garba, and some members of the State Executive Council.

By Suleiman Yakubu

Chief Justice of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, couldn't control her emotion over the killing of the Registrar of Sharia Court, Ibbi, Mallam Mohammad Namaru, by armed bandits.
The registrar was kidnapped on April 11, 2023, at the court premises by armed men suspected to be bandits and killed by his abductors.
Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, who recalled the dastardly act of the killing during the special court session to mark the 2023/2024 legal year of the state high court, stated that the activities of armed bandits in Niger State have forced the closure of four magistrate courts and 11 Sharia courts.
"I will not conclude without referring to the issue of insecurity in the state, which has forced us to close four magistrate courts. "I also understand that eleven Sharia courts have been closed down as a result. Worse yet, on April 11, 2023, Mallam Mohammad Namaru, a registrar of Shari'a court, Ibbi, was kidnapped at the court premises by armed bandits.
"He was later killed by his abductors. May his gentle soul rest in peace," Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik said in an emotional-laden tone.
She called on the Niger State government to extend its magnanimity to the family and give the young children of the deceased scholarship for their education, noting that it will not only help the family but will boost the resolve to continue to unconditionally serve "our state and our country".
Speaking on the 2023/2024 legal year, the chief judge disclosed that the event was meant to renew individual determination as judicial officers to uphold the rule of law and to strengthen the integrity of the bench to do justice to all manner of people.
According to the Chief Judge, the judiciary in Niger State is to a large extent successful in maintaining its independence and protecting its impartiality, ensuring that the judiciary will always strive to live up to its statutory responsibilities without fear, favour, affection, or ill will.
She explained that despite the paucity of funds, the judiciary under her leadership has made tremendous progress in terms of infrastructural development in the last year, starting by embarking on radical reforms and massive renovations of five magistrate courts and six offices within the high court complex in Minna.
The essence of observing the legal year, according to the Chief Judge, was to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the work done and achievements recorded in the proceeding years, identify the challenges encountered, and make projections for the future.
Speaking earlier, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State, Barrister Nasir Muazu, disclosed that in the past years, the judiciary has witnessed the legal community's resilience and adaptability in the face of unprecedented challenges.
He pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has forced the legal community to rethink the way to deliver justice, "pushing us to embrace technology, virtual courtrooms, and remote legal proceedings".
This, according to him, has demonstrated the flexibility and dedication of legal professionals to ensure that justice prevails no matter the circumstances.