President Mohammed Bazoum of the Republic of Niger has honoured six Nigerians as the country marked its Independence Day Wednesday.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group and Abdulsamad Rabi’u, President BUA Group, were among the awardees.
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They were awarded the “Order of Merit of Niger, Great Master of National Awards”, the highest civilian awards.
The awardees also included two presidential aides, two businessmen and two state governors with their national honours in recognition of their roles in the promotion of better relations between the two sister states.
Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in a statement yesterday, said “those honoured from the Presidency are the Senior Special Assistant (Household and Domestic Affairs) to the President, Sarki Abba and the State Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Lawal Kazaure.”
He said Governors Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa) and Mohammed Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) were also honoured.
In giving the awards, President Bazoum said his country cherished Nigeria as one of its closest neighbours and friends.
In various citations read by the country’s leader, Bazoum praised the efforts of “brother Nigerians” who had made great strides in increasing understanding between the two nations and for acting as agents of social and economic development.
The statement said the chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Bagudu, was one of those who graced the occasion.
