Reports from Minna ,Niger state capital said the immediate past Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu on Friday bowed out of government amidst booing and pelting with stones.
Aliyu who was supposed to speak before the administering of oath of allegiance and office ended up not able to give address because of the hostility of the crowd towards him.
The former governor who arrived at the Bako Kotangora Stadium, Minna at about 10.15 am was booed by the crowd as he climbed down from his vehicle and climbed the podium to take the military guard salute.
Shouts of ‘Barawo’, ‘thief’, ‘ole’, ‘Change has come’, ‘your time is past, go’ filled the air.
As the new Governor Abubakar Sani Bello was taking his oath of office and allegiance, Aliyu was pelted with food packs, sachet water, slippers and stones as the security had to shield him from the attacks.
It was learnt that former Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu was earlier warned by security agents not to attend the inauguration due to the hostility of the people of the state toward him but in his usual manner, he waved their warnings aside as he insisted on attending.
Military men from the 31 Brigade in Minna had to be dispatched to the stadium to put the crowd in order but the crowd remained uncontrollable leading to the use of tear-gas to disperse the people in the stadium.
The new Governor, Sani Bello and his Deputy, Alhaji Mohammed Ketso were administered the oath of office and allegiance by the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Lami Abubakar.
Immediately after the national anthem, gunshots and tear-gas were shot fired into the air sporadically leading to stampede and some undisclosed number of people were injured.
The former governor was however smuggled out of the stadium amidst tight security led by the state Commissioner of Police through the back gate as he was almost mobbed by the crowd.
