The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has sacked the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Muhammad Baba Ibrahim.
Naijaonpoint reports that the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, announced the sack in a statement on Friday.
Usman said Bago also sacked all permanent members, which includes Hajiya Kaka Ibrahim Wabi (Permanent Member I), Haruna Arafat Abubakar Magaji (Permanent Member II), Barr. Maryam Kolo (Permanent Member III), Abdul Razak Mu’azu Jikantoro (Permanent Member IV), and the Secretary of the Board, Dr Aminu Aliyu Wushishi.
According to him, the decision was part of Bago’s administration’s ongoing efforts to reposition and strengthen the education sector for enhanced efficiency, accountability and improved service delivery.
He stated that all members of the Board, including the Secretary, were instructed to transfer all official documents, assets, and responsibilities of the Board to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
The SSG stated that the Governor appreciated the outgoing Board members and the Secretary for their service and contributions to the growth and development of basic education in the State and wished them success in their future endeavours.
Meanwhile, Bago recently stirred controversy among religious leaders after announcing that clerics must obtain licences within two months and submit sermons for review.
Naijaonpoint reports that the governor, during a TVC interview, declared: “Everyone going to sermon on Friday should bring his scriptures for review.”
The statement has triggered debates across the state, with some praising it as a bold step towards peace, while others fear it could infringe on freedom of worship.
However, in defence of the governor, the Director-General of Niger State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, clarified that the new policy is not new but rather a revival of an edict from 1985.
“We have a law in Niger State… there has been an edict law since 1985, so it’s not a new policy. What we are trying to do now is to revive the law to make it useful, so that we can have peaceful environments and avoid creating tensions,” he said.
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