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2 die, 3 injured in auto crash at Gada-Biyu

By Abubakar Sadiq Isah

Two persons lost their lives in an accident that happened Thursday morning at Gada-Biyu village, on Abuja Lokoja road.

A witness said the accident happened at about 3:25 am when a trailer coming from Lokoja axis, suddenly lost control and crashed into three other trailers that parked by the road side.

He said the driver lost control of his steering after a break failure, saying two persons died on the spot and were taken to the hospital.

Our reporter, who arrived the scene at about 7:25 am, saw the mangled body of the trailer at the centre of the road, while men of the Police Highway patrol were busy controlling traffic by diverting motorists coming from Lokoja axis to the second lane.

When contacted, the Abaji unit commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Assistant corps commander, Maduekwe Lawrence Akah, confirmed the accident, saying two persons died and their corpses have been taken to Abaji General Hospital morgue.

He said the three injured victims were also taken to the same hospital for attention, adding that his men were still making efforts to clear the obstruction on the highway.

FCTA to award 76 outstanding corps members in the FCT

By Emma Elekwa

The FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Bello, has said that he has approved the award and recognition of 76 corps members who distinguished themselves in the course of their service in the FCT between 2011-2013.

Bello who was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Batch ‘A’ stream 2, orientation course in Kubwa, also promised to extend the award to the outstanding corps members from 2014 to date.

He reassured the corps members of the readiness of his administration to reward those who go beyond the call of duty to positively impact lives regardless of how long the recognition takes.

Bello, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Babatope Ajakaiye, urged the corps members to resist the temptation of lobbying for their postings to choice places for their primary assignments.

He said the corps members would only be doing themselves disservice by denying themselves the opportunity of gaining experience in the rural l communities where their services are mostly needed.

“While this may serve your immediate interests, you will actually be doing yourselves disservice by missing the opportunity of gaining experience, as it is in the face of challenges that your innovativeness and creativity are unearthed and put to use,” he said.

The minister challenged them to jettison the easy way out and be courageous enough to take the road which is more likely to place them on the path of future greatness, in order to set themselves apart from those who would rather perpetuate the routine path.

UniAbuja MDCAN holds annual general meeting

By Abubakar Sadiq Isah

The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital branch of the Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) on Wednesday held its 2016, annual general meeting.

In his welcome address, the branch chairman of MDCAN of the hospital, Dr. Bob Ukonu, said medical doctors are living in a dynamic environment, hence, there was the need to equip them with relevant information which will help them to take informed decisions.

He said after much deliberations by the executives of the association, the local organizing committee has come up with a well thought decision to deliberate on labour relations and industrial harmony.

Ukonu, thanked the hospital community for their kind gesture and support given to the executives of the associations.

“It has been a fruitful year despite a moment of obstruction of service of which I sincerely hope that at the end, this discussion will be reduced to its barest minimum, “he said.

Also speaking, the immediate past director of administration of the hospital, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, who presented a five-page paper with the topic: “Labour Relations and Industrial Harmony in the Health Sector ” at its opening ceremony, attributed weak structures in the ministry of health to be among factors behind industrial instability in the country.

He added that the lax government attitude towards the policy of no work, no pay, especially strike, which he said is provided in law and inordinate industrial militancy of the resident doctors who are oblivious of their basic status as trainee is also responsible for the industrial harmony. According to him, some of the measures to check the trend of industrial instability include, the need for government to consider the report of the presidential committee on industrial harmony in the health sector among others.

Police arraign 5 men for alleged armed robbery

The police on Thursday re-arraigned five suspects in an FCT High Court, Jabi, for alleged robbery in Durumi, Phase 1, Abuja.

The suspects, Moses Abutu, Sunday Adamu, Ali Muhammed, Abraham Boniface and Daniel Terfa, were first arraigned on March 2, 2016.

They all pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, attempt to commit robbery and being in possession of a vehicle suspected to be stolen.

At the resumed hearing, the prosecutor, Mr Adamu Musa of the FCT Police Command, told the court that the offence was committed on Aug. 22, 2015.

Musa said the defendants forcefully broke into the house of Mammuda Iliyasu in Durumi, Phase 1, to carry out this crime.

He said that they attacked Iliyasu and forcefully collected N250,000 and one Honda City car from him.

The prosecutor told the court that the same group of suspects were arrested by the stop and search policemen on their way to another robbery in Gudu.

He also said that the suspects were arrested on Oct. 22, 2015 in a Toyota Siena car suspected to be stolen car.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened sections 6 and 2 of the Robbery and Firearms Provision Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The defence counsel, Mr Farouk Kahamagam, told the court that he was appearing in the case for the first time.

Kahamagam, therefore, pleaded with the court for adjournment to enable him to study the case file before progress could be made.

“I am taking over from the first lawyer, Mr Onyechi Stephen, and I am appearing in this matter for the first time; I have not even been able to file a notice of change of counsel.

“I also need to confirm some issues from the suspects so that I can be confident enough to go on with the matter.

“The prosecutor can take the lead in examination of the two witnesses present in the court since this matter has got to this stage.

“I will cross examine them at the next date of sitting,’’ Kahamagam said.

Justice Vera Vender adjourned definite hearing in the matter till Nov. 9 and Nov. 10 to allow the defence acquaint himself with the case file. (NAN)