Immediate past Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, was at the verge of suffering a more embarrassing assault during Friday’s inauguration of the new governor, Alhaji Abubakar Bello, in Minna, but for the intervention of armed military officers.

Irate crowd used the ceremony to express their displeasure with the stewardship of the outgone governor who prided himself as the ‘Chief Servant’ of Niger State. They did this by stoning and booing Aliyu who they also hurled insults at.

Reacting to this, the military men fired several gunshots and tear gas and ferried Aliyu out of Bako Kontagora Memorial Stadium, venue of the inauguration

The former governor, whose convoy arrived the venue at about 10.15am, was booed on arrival by the crowd as he climbed the podium to take the salute of the military guard.

Shouts of “Barawo,” “Thief,” “Ole” “Change has come,” “Your time is past, go,” rented the air at the stadium.

The organisers of the event, having sensed the palpable tension, had to drop the ex-governor from making speech as earlier planned on the programme. Outgoing Secretary to the State government, Seidu Ndako Kpaki, rather spoke on behalf of the government.

However, at about 11am, the new governor took his oath of office and oath of allegiance,

Sitting beside his estranged deputy, Hon. Ahmed Musa Ibeto, for the first time in the public since he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Aliyu was pelted with slippers and sachet water. This is as his security details formed human shields round the self-acclaimed ‘Chief Servant’.