Hon. Com Abdullahi Bawa, LL.M, B.L was born in July 1967 at Sabon Wuse in Tafa LGA of Niger state. A product of Bayaro University Kano and University of Jos. He was the immediate past Hon. Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftancy Affairs.

Ndagi Usman Wali was born in February 1960. He is a product of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and Nigerian Law School Lagos. He is presently the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice.

ABOUT THE MINISTRY

YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT:                 1976

 BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MINISTRY:

Undoubtedly, writing on a brief history of the Ministry will necessitate writing on a brief history of the state. The territory of Niger State was part of the Northern Province of Nigeria that metamorphosed into the Northern Region of Nigeria in 1951 upon the introduction of Regional Government. This Northern Region became Northern Nigeria under the 1960 Independence constitution.

 In 1967, General Gowon acting pursuant to the States (creation and transitional provisions) Decree, now an Act, of 1967 divided Northern Nigeria into six states one of which was the North Western State.  The Ministry of Justice of the Northern Western state was in Sokoto and lawyers of Niger State extraction were well represented, some of them include: Hon. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi (Former Chief Justice of Nigeria), Mr. Jibrin Ndatsu Ndajiwo, Mr. Adamu Gado, Mr. Sani Muhammad, Mr. Abdullahi Mustapha etc.

 On the 3^rd of February 1976 General Murtala Ramat Muhammad acting pursuant to the afore-mentioned States (creation and transitional provisions) Decree, now an Act, created Niger State. Subsequently, under the 1979 constitution, Niger State was listed as a State in Nigeria.

 Upon the creation of Niger State in 1976, indigenes of Niger State relocated to Minna with Hon. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi serving as both the Attorney General and Solicitor General of Niger State while Mr. Jibrin Ndajiwo served as state counsel grade II and Mr. Nuhu A. Kuso served as pupil state counsel.

The list of the Attorneys General and Solicitors General that have served in Niger State from 1976 to date is adumbrated below:

Attorneys General:

1.        Hon. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi                            1976 – 1977

2.        Hon. Paul Orifunmise                                           1981 – 1983

3.        Hon. Mamman Kolo                                              1983 – 1986

4.        Hon. Abdullahi Mustapha                                    1987 – 1989

5.        Hon. Fati Lami Abubakar                                     June 1989 – August 1989

6.        Hon. Nuhu Kuso                                                     1990 – 1992

7.        Hon. Sani Hairu                                                      1992 – 1993

8.        Hon. Ibrahim Abdul                                               1994 – 1995

9.        Hon. Garba Tumako                                              1997 – 1999

10.      Hon. Umaru Kawu                                                 1999 – 2007

11.      Hon. Adamu Usman                                              January 2007 –May 2007

12.      Hon. Adamu Usman                                              July 2007 – to date

 Solicitors General:

1.        Hon. Idris Legbo Kutigi

2.        Hon. Sule Aremu Olagunju

3.        Hon. Paul Orifunmise

4.        Hon. Mamman Kolo

5.        Hon. Jibrin Ndatsu Ndajiwo

6.        Hon. Fati Lami Abubakar

7.        Hon. Maria Sanda Dzukogi

8.        Hon. Adamu Idris Kuta

9.        Hon. Aisha L. Bwari

10.      Hon. Abbas Bello

11.      Hon. Danlami Umar

 LAWYERS IN THE MINISTRY

                 DEPARTMENTS IN THE MINISTRY AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

 a.         Public Prosecution: The department of Public Prosecution is headed by Alhaji Musa Abdul. The department prosecutes criminal cases on behalf of the state and also offers legal opinion on matters submitted to it by the police.

 b.        Civil Litigation: They handle civil cases on behalf of the Ministry against individuals.

 c.         Legal Drafting: The department of Legal Drafting drafts bills for passage to law.

 d.        Administration: They carry out administrative duties in the Ministry; such duties include determining persons who are due for promotion etc.

 AREA OFFICES AND FUNCTIONS:

The Ministry has Area Offices in the following places: MINNA, KONTAGORA, BIDA, SULEJA AND NEW BUSSA.

 Principally, these Area Offices function as RENT TRIBUNALS with the aim of controlling rents and recovering residential premises.