After questioning the necessity of the road due to the non-existence of Baro Port, Senator Musa faced criticism from netizens, who accused him of undermining the development of Niger State.
Senator Mohammed Sani Musa of Niger East (Zone B) has faced heavy criticism from netizens, with many labeling him the “enemy” of the Nupe people and Niger South (Zone A) following his comments about the Baro-Katcha-Agaie Road project.
Musa recently argued in the House that the construction of the road was unnecessary, citing the non-existence of Baro Port, which the road is intended to serve. He stated, “You are doing it because of Baro port, but Baro port is not in existence,” and claimed the road was being developed in a region with minimal economic activity.
Social media users quickly responded, with Yahaya Mohd Usman questioning Musa’s position, asking where he was when former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, former Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, and other lawmakers visited Baro to commission the port that, according to Musa, does not exist. Usman pointed out that the people of Baro, Agaie, and Katcha deserve proper infrastructure, and Musa should have supported the project.
Another user, Ordinary Ahmad, criticized Musa for not advocating for the Baro project during his first tenure in government, accusing him of frustrating the initiative and misleading the public with promises of its swift completion.
Jibrin Bala Jibrin Yikangi also took to social media, recalling two incidents where Musa allegedly undermined the interests of Zone A. He claimed that Musa denied the region a Resident Commissioner for the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and was involved in burning down a campaign office in Minna during the 2022 election cycle.
In response to the backlash, Musa issued a statement clarifying his concerns. He emphasized that his issue was with the allocation of funds for road projects in the 2025 budget. Musa argued that the N4.3 trillion allocated should be used strategically, prioritizing roads with higher traffic and economic importance.
He clarified, “My concern was about fairness and the need for strategic prioritization of road infrastructure based on economic viability, haulage, and vehicular traffic,” and stressed that his remarks were not intended to suggest that any part of Niger State was less important. Musa reaffirmed his commitment to the development of Niger State, stating, “I will continue to advocate for equitable and impactful projects that serve the best interests of our entire people, irrespective of geographical locations.”
Musa also expressed disappointment at the misrepresentation of his comments and condemned any attempt to twist his words. He concluded, “Any attempt to twist my words to suggest that I am sidelining any part of Niger State is not only misleading but a deliberate attempt to distract the public from the real issue.”
