Insecurity: Southern states shun Niger state national trade fair

The current insecurity in Niger state, occasioned by the incessant attacks by armed bandits suspected to be Fulani herdsmen is gradually taking its toll on both business and commercial activities in the state.

Virtually all the states in the southern part of the country have backed out of the 15th Niger state national trade fair which opened on Tuesday in Minna, the state capital.

It was gathered from a source close to the organizer that the states from southern parts of the country are hinging their decisions not to attend the exhibition on the ground of insecurity in the northern part of the country, especially with the recent kidnapping and continued attacks in some communities in the state.

Recall that in the last two weeks alone, no fewer than 35 people have been killed in different attacks by bandits in the state, the latest been the massacre of 27 people in an early morning attack in Ebogi community.

According to our source, “everybody in the south says nowhere in north is safe and it has been very difficult for us to convince them.

They said coming to the north is like signing ones death warrant
“We are going to make do with what we have, at least six states from the north have signified their intention to participate, the trade fair must go on”.

It was gathered that only 6 northern States had as at Monday signalled intention to participate in the exhibition and they include Benue, Plateau, Kano, Jigawa,Zamfara and Sokoto.

However, When contacted the Director General of the Niger State Chamber of Commerce Industries Mines and Agriculture Alhaji Adamu Salihu declined to comment on the refusal of the southern states to participate in the trade fair but said 6 states all of them from the north would take part.

Adamu said apart from the 6 States not less than 1000 exhibitors would display their products during the fair.

He said Governor Abubakar Sani Bello would declare the trade fair open with the Minister of Trade and Investment Okechukwu Enelamah being the Special guest of honour.

The theme for this year’s fair is: “Patronising Made- in-Nigeria Goods.”