Niger Assembly suspends screening of commissioner-nominee over ‘possession of secret documents’
The Niger State House of Assembly yesterday suspended the screening and confirmation of a commissioner-nominee from Agwara Local Government Area, Barrister Mohammed Bello Agwara, over allegations that he unlawfully possessed confidential documents belonging to the legislature. Agwara, a former four-term member of the Assembly under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had defected to the All […]
The Niger State House of Assembly yesterday suspended the screening and confirmation of a commissioner-nominee from Agwara Local Government Area, Barrister Mohammed Bello Agwara, over allegations that he unlawfully possessed confidential documents belonging to the legislature.
Agwara, a former four-term member of the Assembly under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in May 2025 after losing his seat in the 2023 elections.
He is accused of aiding a lawsuit filed against the Assembly in which the plaintiffs reportedly secured victory using documents believed to contain official secrets of the House.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago had forwarded a list of 30 commissioner-nominees to the Assembly for confirmation.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, said the nominees were selected after extensive consultations and based on integrity, competence, and commitment to the state’s development.
However, during Tuesday’s plenary, the Chief Whip, Hon. Abubakar Kabir Ustaz, representing Chanchaga Constituency, moved a motion for the suspension of Agwara’s screening.
He alleged that the nominee used privileged documents of the Assembly to secure a court judgement against the House during the financial dispute in question.
According to Ustaz, the court had ordered that the Assembly’s account be garnished should the payment not be made, a development he said deepened concerns about entrusting Agwara with sensitive state information as a commissioner.
He argued that the nominee’s past actions amounted to a betrayal of trust and posed potential risks to the integrity of the institution he once served.
The Assembly unanimously adopted the motion, effectively stepping down Agwara’s nomination pending further review.
Speaking to journalists after the session, Agwara said he was confident the matter would be resolved amicably.
Providing further clarity, the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, who also oversees Information, Mohammed Sani Idris, said the Assembly would go into an executive session to assess the weight of the allegations before deciding on the nominee’s fate.