Niger Govt Announces Plan To Ban Sale, Consumption Of Alcohol

The Niger State Government has announced its intention to prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol in Suleja, Suleja Local Government Area of the state, starting from January 1, 2024.

The State Liquor and Licensing Board disclosed this in a statement by the secretary of the board, Ibrahim Muhammad Bonu.

The government also revealed that certain beer establishments in Minna, the state capital, will be issued relocation notices, requiring them to move outside the city and relocate within an eight-kilometre radius of the state’s post office.

Bonu also warned the board’s staff, cautioning them against engaging in any illegal activities or soliciting bribes from beer parlour operators.

He emphasized that any staff member found guilty of such misconduct would face appropriate consequences.

He said: “We are calling on all vendors to abide by the relevant extant laws establishing the board. The law establishing the board has the mandate to control the activities of all liquor vendors in the state and therefore, nine local government areas were on the first schedule of the prohibited areas, and Suleja happens to be among them, and as such, the board will ensure strict compliance with the law.”