DAILY TRUST
53
Thursday, May 26,20' "
CITY NEWS
HOTLINES: 0803-3493-462 & 080-3045-6131 email: citynews@dailytrust.com
Robbers cause p nic along Abuja-Lokoja highway By Abubaka, Sadiq Isah
A gang of armed robbers numbering over 20 Tuesday evening caused panic to motorists plying Abuja Lokoja highway. near Manderegi village. A motorist. Suleiman Bala. said. the robbers: who emerged from the bush at 5: 21 pm. wore black shirts and carried sophisticated weapons. which made motorists as well as ' bystanders scamper for safety.
He said while his car was approaching the viUage, the robbers shot into the air to scare him but he immediately applied his brake and reversed the vehicle. which caused other vehicles behind him to turn back. Our reporter. who was also caught up in the traffic jam caused by the robbers' presence on the highway. saw passengers ofluxury buses disembarking and running inside a nearby bush for safety.
It took the efforts ofarmed officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to dislodge the robbers. after they fired warning shots. Meanwhile. some motorists complained of incessant robbery attacl" along Abaji-Lokoja road, especiaUy near Manderegi viUage and caUed on the police authorities to station a highway patrol team in the area. Malam Usman Shehu said the spot where the incident happened has always been a black spot for rob-
bery attacks since the past four years. adding that it is time the police do something about it. When contacted. Abaji Divisional Police Officer (DPO). ChiefSuperintendent Sani Umar Paiko. confirmed the attempted robbery incident and said the robbers fled before policemen arrived the scene. He said the division has mounted a road block and 24 hours surveillance along the road in order to checkmate incessant robbery attacks.
Farmers-raise alarm over adulterated fertilizer in Kwali By Abubaka, Sadiq Isah
FARMERS in Kwali Area Council of the FCT have complained of adulterated fertilizers being sold to them'by the council at subsidized rates. A farmer. Mr. Yohana Gabriel Bako. said he purchased 24 bags of fertilizer from the council and they were adulterated with sands. adding that.!>e is afraid that such prod-.. ucts might cause damages
to th eir crops during this year's farming season. "I wept after discovering that the fertili zers I paid for were adulterated and I reported the issue to the ward's councillor; the farmer said. Another farmer. Baba Audu, said three out of nine bags he purchased from the agric department of the council were filled wi th sand, saying he returned the remaining bags to the department. lodging a complain to them. He advised the council's authority to urgently report the findings to the FCT Agric Secretariat so that they send another product, adding that the farmers in the council appreciate the subSidy put on the products.
'Close-up' holds campaign at Nelson Madela Sch _ By Abubaka, Vakubu
OFFICIALS of 'Close-up'. a tooth paste brand produced by Unilever Nigeria PLC. yesterday took their ongoing 'Brush day and night' campaign to pupils as well as student of Nelson Mandela International School. Nyanya. Abuja. The campaign's Leader. Roland
Omogiade. said the sensitization which is also sponsored by Brand Regimen SFS. is meant to inform children of the need to brush their teeth twice daily in order to prevent tooth decay. He said the campaign commenced in Abuja on May 16 and is meant to cover as much schools within the next II weeks, adding
that it is ;uso running in Lagos and the Middle-belt part of the country. According to him, a bathroom setting is displayed on the campaign venue with a big dentition to teach children in practical form. how to brush their teeth. while a standby dentist will examine 25 of them. free.
He said free sachets of Close-up toothpaste as well as other corporate gifts such as exercise books. cups and posters were given to pupils. Highlight of the occasion was the presence of a mascot called 'Squiggle' who held a giant tooth brush and created fun among the pupils.
Reacting. the Chairman of Kwali Area Council. Mr. Joseph K. Shazin. confirmed the discovery and described the incident as unfortunate. afte r the productswere given out to farmers at subsidized prices. He said he has directed the agric department of the council to inform all the farmers to return the fertilizers. as the council intends
to meet with officials of FCT Agric Secretariat so that punitive measures can
be taken against the company that produced the adulterated fertilizer
Phone thief turns vi'olent after hearing sentence By Hussein Vahaya
A phone thief. Julius Attah, yesterday turned violent in court when a chief magistrate sentenced him to a year's imprison ment without fine option. The thief was convicted for stealing a mobile phone valued
at N75.000 from o ne Okloho Ameh. who gave him a lift in his car on May 17. Police prosecutor. Monday Akor. had also told the court that the accused was previously jailed for 18 months with a fine option of N 1.800 in 2005 and was again jailed six months
without fine option in 2000 for Sadiq Soso in her ruling said theft. cheating and criminal . the co urt took cognisan ce o f breach of trust. his previous criminal records The police research stun ned and sente nced him 'w ithou t fine the accused. who thought the option . magistrate would consider his After the ruling, the convict case as a first offender and give turned on the police prosecuhim a light sentence. to rs in court 路and accused th em Chief Magistrate Hafsat of spreading lies in court. add-
ing that he only committed one crime in hi s life.
"I leave you policemen to God for misi nforming the magis trate that I was convicted twice in the past and anybody that writes of my going to prison. God will also judge that person;' the convict added in a loud voice.