The government of Niger Republic during its Independence Day anniversary, conferred national honours on six Nigerian, who include Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, and Governor Mohammed Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, as well as the Senior Special Assistant on Household and Domestic Affairs to the President, Sarki Abba; the State Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Lawal Kazaure, and Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabi’u, President of BUA Group.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, in a tweet on Thursday morning, disclosed: “To mark the Independence Day commemorated on August 3, the Republic of Niger Wednesday honoured six Nigerians-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.”
The government of Niger conferred the Nigerian recipients with the Order of Merit of Niger, Great Master of National Awards.
According to Shehu Garba, “The day is set aside to mark the nation’s independence from France in 1960 and since 1975 has been recognised as ‘tree planting day’ as trees are planted across the nation to aid the fight against desertification.”
The President of Niger, Mohammed Bazoum, was gathered to have acknowledged Niger cherishes Nigeria as one of its closest neighbours and friends.