CITY NEWS Parents withdraw wards from schools We’ve performed better than other area councils over monkey pox rumour at Zuba – Abaji chairman
There was confusion as parents withdrew their children from schools over a rumour that soldiers were embarking on administration of vaccine against monkey pox in Zuba, Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT.
Our reporter, who visited the Local Education Authority (LEA) in Zuba, yesterday morning, observed as some parents attempted to force the school gate open in order to pick their children, but some teachers and policemen prevented them from gaining entrance into the school.
A parent, Hausa Mukaila, who spoke with our reporter said she retrieved her two children from the school because of the information she received that some soldiers were vaccinating children across primary schools against monkey pox.
“Actually, I heard people saying that some soldiers were going round to vaccinate children in schools over monkey pox disease which prompted me to join other parents to come and pick my children from the school, “she said.
She said she heard that the vaccines were poisonous and may endanger the lives of the children.
The headmaster of the school, Mohammed Falalu Salihu, said when the pupils were on break at 10:00a.m., some parents started coming into the school with lies that soldiers were vaccinating children against monkey pox disease.
“In fact, before I knew what was happening parents had gathered at the gate trying to come into the school and I quickly alerted the vigilantes and the police who came to contain the situation,“he said.
“We tried to make the parents who insisted on carrying their children to understand that it was just a rumuor and we even allowed them to see the children in classes, “he said.
City News also reports that a similar incident happened at Junior Secondary School (JSS) at Yimi village near Zuba, where some parents also besieged the school to pick up their children over the rumour of monkey pox vaccination.
Some parents were seen standing in front of the school gate, as the school management also prevented them from gaining entrance.
A part of the school’s fence was allegedly pulled down by some parents who attempted to forcefully gain entrance into the school to pick up their children, but police and vigilantes prevented them.
A housewife, Zainab Yakubu, who spoke with our reporter in anger insisted that she must stay and pick her children back home.
“I see no reason why my children that just recovered from illness will again be given injection to kill them for me. I will never allow that to happen. I will stay here until they released my children to me,” she said.
The principal of the school, Ramatu Ibrahim, declined to speak with our reporter, saying she was not authorised to speak to the press.
It was also gathered that LEA Primary School at Tungan Maje, also faced the same situation.
When contacted, the Zuba Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Bashir Kontagora, who was seen at the JSS school gate with his men, declined speaking to our reporter.
“What do you want me to say, you are here already and you have seen everything with your eyes,” he said. The Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, has said his council receives the least monthly allocation in the FCT but he is able to perform well.
He also said because of the proximity of Abaji to the main city centre, the council was also the least in terms of revenue generation among the six area councils.
He, however said his administration has given priority to issues that affect the lives and property of residents of the council.
Ajiya stated this after he was given an award as the Outstanding Area Council Chairman in the FCT by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abuja, which held at the council conference hall on Tuesday.
“It will interest you to know that among the six area councils we have in the FCT, Abaji is the least in terms of revenue allocation. And again, because of the proximity of Abaji from the main city, Abaji is also the least in terms of revenue generation, but today I can boast that with the help of God, Abaji has been able to perform better than some area councils in FCT, “he said.
He thanked the FCT NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel for finding him worthy for the award, saying his administration will continue to look at issues and challenges as they affect his people in order to serve them better.
Also speaking, the chairman of the FCT NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Raphel Ekpang, said the union gave him the award because of his achievements in empowerment, provision of social amenities, education and infrastructure. A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, has sentenced a 26-year-old scavenger, Suleiman Mahaman, to six months imprisonment for being in possession of stolen property.
The judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, however, gave the convict an option to pay N10,000 fine.
Sadiq advised the convict to desist from committing crime, adding that the sentence would serve as deterrent to others.
Mahaman, who resides at Pantaker Karmo was convicted on a count charge.
The convict, who pleaded guilty to the offence, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, and that hunger pushed him to commit the crime.
The prosecutor, Florence Avhioboh, had told the court that a police patrol team, led by Sgt. David Ekpe, arrested the convict on October 10.
She said at the time of the arrest, the convict was in possession of a carton of breakable cups.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 319 of the Penal Code. (NAN)