Three women arrested in Niger over sale of alcohol

Three women and a man were on Sunday arrested in Niger State over sales of alcohol at prohibited places.

The state government, under Dr. Babangida Aliyu, which upheld the operation of the Islamic legal system, Sharia, restricted the sales and consumption of alcohol in the state.

The Secretary of the Niger State Liquor Licensing Board, Alhaji Ahmed Bala, who spoke with our correspondent in Minna on Sunday, said the four persons were arrested at Maitumbi and Chanchanga areas of Minna, the state capital.

He added that while the three women were arrested for the sale of liquor, the man was arrested for the consumption of alcohol at a prohibited place.

According to him, “During the operation, over 350 cartons of assorted drinks and several drums of locally brewed alcoholic drinks, popularly called burukutu and ogogoro, were destroyed.”

Bala said the operation was the first to be embarked upon by the board this year, adding that the suspects would soon be charged to court as soon as the police concluded their investigations.

He said the law prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcohol at unauthorised places was in force and advised the people to obey the Sharia legal system.

Meanwhile, Aliyu, on Sunday, honoured six military chiefs for their contributions to national developments.

They are the Director of Air Intelligence, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Ibrahim Saliyu; the Commandant of NASMP, Maj.-Gen. Shehu Usman Abdulkhadir; the Commander, Central Army Records, Lokoja, Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Hassan Ndaliman; and the Commander, Central Medical Stores, Yaba, Brig-Gen Ali-Baba.