National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Olabode Adaramola
Niger state government has revoked all the licenses issued to liquor dealers throughout the state.
The Niger State Liquor licencing Board, the body charged with the responsibility of regulating the sales and consumption of alcoholic drinks made the announcement in a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Minna on Monday by its Chairman, Malam Muhammad Shafii.
Malam Muhammad Shafii stated further that any liquor vendors caught contravening the order would not only be arrested but prosecuted.
The statement asked law enforcement agents to implement the directive by arresting and prosecuting offenders.
To give vent to the new policy two major liquor dealers in the state were arrested over the weekend and would be charged to court soon.
In like manner, operatives of the board also recently seized and destroyed N28million worth of assorted liquor in Minna, the state capital .
It could be recalled that the state government in the year 2,000 introduced the Sharia legal system in the state under which sales and consumption of alcohol and related beverages in restricted areas of major towns and cities in the state were prohibited.
Nattional Wires however learnt that the law guiding the sale and consumption of alcohol were restricted to 8 kilometers from each of the city centre.
