President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide on Household and Domestic Affairs Sarki Abba, and head of protocol Lawal Kazaure were among six Nigerians who received the highest civilian honours in neigbouring Niger Republic on Wednesday.
Businessmen Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabi’u, who chairs the BUA Group were also honoured alongside Governors Badaru Abubakar and Mohammed Bello Matawalle of Jigawa and Zamfara states.
The six men were awarded the “Order of Merit of Niger’’ and “Great Master of National Awards’’ in a ceremony presided by Niger President Mohammed Bazoum to mark the tiny West African country’s 62nd independence anniversary.
Mr Bazoum said his country cherishes Nigeria as one of its closest neighbours and friends.
In various citations he read, Mr Bazoum praised the efforts of “Brother Nigerians’’ who had made great strides in fostering bilateral relations between the two nations and for acting as agents of social and economic development.
Garba Shehu, spokesman for the Nigerian president said the awards were in recognition of the recipients’ roles in promoting relations between Nigeria and Niger.
