Alleged Infraction: Niger Government Sacks Two Agency Heads

Two agency heads in Niger State, Alhaji Isah Adamu of the Niger State Universal Basically Education Board (NSUBEB), and Alhaji Abdullahi Arah of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been sacked by the state government for alleged "Infraction." The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, who disclosed this to journalists at the weekend, said the agency heads were also removed because they failed to carry along other members of their agencies in the day-to-day administration of the organisations. Matane said on two occasions, the state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, personally intervened in the feud between the agency heads and other board members, but they failed to heed the governor’s advice. According to him, "The suspension letter sent to Alhaji Isah Adamu signed by the SSG also said his removal is as a result of some observed anomalies in the operations of the board.” In the meantime, Alhaji Nafuntua Abubakar Shehu, has been approved as the new chairman of NSUBEB. A letter sacking Arah as the director-general of the state SDGs said: "The removal of the director-general is to facilitate and accelerated implementation of the reforms being initiated by the government towards the attainment of the SDGs in the state" Matane told the media that the sacked director-general had shown incapability to pilot the affairs of his office, even as he said no element of the SDGs programme has been achieved under his watch. The most senior officer in the scheme has been told to take over the running of the affairs of the organisation pending the appointment of a substantive head. THISDAY gathered that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) visited the NSUBEB headquarters in Minna last Friday but it could not be confirmed if any arrest was made or the motive behind their visit.