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Mother, child shot as robbers attack car on Abuja-Lokoja road

By Abubakar Sadiq Isah

A middle-aged mother and her 13-year-old child were shot when suspected armed robbers opened fire on a vehicle on Monday evening near Ochonyi village on the Abuja-Lokoja road.

The victim’s husband, who preferred anonymity, said the incident happened about 6:24 pm when he and three of his family members boarded a commercial vehicle on their way from Gegu town to Abaji .

He said shortly after Aseni village, near Omoko village, about six suspected robbers suddenly emerged from a nearby bush and opened fire on the Volkswagen Golf car they were travelling in.

“The suspected robbers, who were six in number, with some of them carrying guns, suddenly came out from the bush and started firing at the vehicle. It was when the driver applied the brake and started to reverse back that my wife and one of my children were hit by bullets,” he said.

He also said a bullet almost caught him on the ear while he was trying to save one of his children sitting beside him in front of the car.

He said if the driver had not reversed immediately the suspected robbers opened fire on the vehicle, they would have all been killed.

He, however, said his injured family members were later taken to a neighbouring village clinic, where the health personnel referred them to a primary health care at Abaji town. He said his wife and child were responding to treatment.

When our reporter visited Chikara police station, the divisional police officer was said not to be around. But a police officer at the station said the division was not aware of the incident and claimed that men of the police highway patrol team were always stationed along that axis.

FCT minister urged to visit Abaji varsity

By Abubakar Sadiq Isah

The Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, has appealed to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, to visit the Abuja University of Technology, Abaji (AUTA) to ascertain the level of progress of work at the site.

Speaking during an interview yesterday, the traditional ruler said the minister needed to do something about the university as residents and other stakeholders are worried over the delay in the take-off of academic activities there.

He said it was worrisome that the university has been abandoned for over three years, lamenting that some of the facilities provided at the university have started decaying.

He stated that the university would go a long way to create job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youth in the area, including graduates who are seeking for lecturing jobs, adding that the university will also boost socio-economic activities in the area.

“It is worrisome that the university in Abaji has been abandoned. I would want the FCT minister to find time and visit the school and see things for himself,” the traditional ruler said.

He also appealed to the minister to ensure that staff members of various area councils were paid their salaries, adding that their situation for over three months of non-payment of salaries has been pathetic.

The traditional ruler further urged the minister to provide adequate security in the territory in order to tackle cases of kidnapping and other social vices.

Firm offers scholarship to 10 students

By Emma Elekwa

Ten students of Junior Secondary School, Kubwa, were yesterday presented with scholarship award certificates by BANC and All, a printing and publishing company in Abuja.

The chairman of the organisation, Atilola Odudare, said the scholarship is part of the organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility to its host community.

He said the awardees were 10 of the best performing JSS 1 students in the school.

He said the award, which is to cover their tuition fees and N10,000 for books, was not based on religion or ethnicity, but purely on hard work, diligence and dedication to studies.

The Chairman assured that their performance shall be reviewed at the end of the session, adding that those who fail to make the list will no longer be eligible for the scholarship.

Presenting the award to the beneficiaries, the Managing Director of the firm, Azu Ishiekwene, commended the students for their outstanding performance, urging them to keep up the zeal, hard work and dedication in order to continue benefitting.

One of the recipients, Mustapha Rahamatullah was full of thanks to the organisation for the gesture, pledging to justify the confidence reposed in them.

FRSC impostor nabbed for extorting motorists at Dutse

By Emma Elekwa

A 48-year-old man was on Tuesday arrested by the police in Dutsen, Abuja, for allegedly posing as an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

The suspect, who claimed to be a widower with three children, allegedly extorted money from motorists along Dutse-Bwari road.

City News gathered that prior to his arrested by the police, he collected the sum of N200, each, from three motorists.

A source alleged that the suspect has, through his activities, alerted some FRSC officials who could not identify him as a staff of the corps.

City News, however, learnt that the suspect, during police investigation, claimed to be a graduate who came to Abuja from Makurdi in search of a job.

The source added that the suspect said that he only approached the motorists to beg them for financial assistance to buy food and he was apprehended.

When contacted, the Dutsen Alhaji Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Aisha Yusuf, confirmed the arrest, saying the suspect would soon be charged to court.