Minors Flogged for Hawking in Abuja | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Friday 22 October 2010

Minors Flogged for Hawking in Abuja



















Six hawkers, mostly minors, were last Thursday ordered to be given seven strokes of the cane while 18 others were sentenced to one month imprisonment by an Abuja mobile court for hawking in Abuja.

The minor hawkers are, Sani Usman, Adamu Abubakar, Jibrin Aliu, Haruna Salisu, Salisu Hafisu and Prosper Nkwoma.

Those sentenced are, Ekene Ibe, Fere  Hamsalem, Abdullahi Abdulrahaman, Suraju Tanimu, Malame Jemila, Clectus Nwori, Faruk Abdullahi, Isa Abu-ha, Mustafa Muhammed, Jonathan Amayen, Victor Anebo, Muhammed Bukmo, Jibrila Haruna, Ifanyi Igwe, Chukwu Nwore,  Terry Raphael, Suleman Abubakar and Ma’zu Abdullahi.

The prosecutor, Barrister Eze O. Eze, had earlier told the court that on October 14, 2010, the hawkers were caught displaying articles of trade in unauthorized places within the FCT  by the task force of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) contrary to Section 35 (1d) of the AEPB Act of no 10 of 1997.

When the charge was read to them, they pleaded guilty and begged for leniency, promising to desist from hawking.
The prosecutor urged the court to try them summarily under Section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Magsitrate Aminu Abdullahi sentenced the 22 hawkers to one month in prison with an option of N2,500 fine and ordered that the minors be flogged seven strokes of cane.

The magistrate ordered that the seized items from the minors should not be released to them until they present their parents for prosecution.

SMH!

Source: Daily Trust

26 comments:

ChiChiLuv said...

Wait o, they flogged these minors...as it, they caned CHILDREN for selling the wares the PARENTS sent them out to sell so they can pay rent, buy food, clothes, water, pay electricity, school fees...essential life's basic needs?

Noooo, o is this for real? Seriously? In a civilized society?

Who is flogging the parents? Or is this the case of the sins of the father following the children down to the fourth generation?

For shame, for shame

Anonymous said...

stupid fools, instead of them to concentrate on building the country they are flogging and fining hawlers!!!Stupid fools

Nikki St.lou said...

Just like Nigerians to start building a house from the roof! Do these children like hawking? Why don't they go after the parents? mtcheeew...

Anonymous said...

NAIJASSSSSSS we need to wake up ooo..ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!all we do in this country is talk without action..we need to fight for our rights,the oppression is too much!!!those bloody thieves ought to slaughtered..and it can only be done by US....

ejike emmanuel said...

I'm totally speechless. I feel numb.

SOLA said...

I'm a little over 'speechless'!
What?!
Who passed that judgement for the minors to be flogged?
Which way forward Nigeria? haba!!
I could still rationalize the parents being flogged... but the children? Not fair at all

JUST BEING ME said...

N-O-O-O! I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!....I MEAN FOR REAL? MAY GOD PUNISH THE IDIOTS THAT GAVE THE JUDGMENT & EXECUTED IT! IS IT NOT BECAUSE OF POVERTY MINORS HAWK?...IS THIS THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM?...AM SO PISSED OFF RIGHT NOW THAT I CAN'T CO-R-ORDINATE MY THOUGHTS....I MEAN.....DAMN IT!

Anonymous said...

pls, is this little gurl included in the flogging, 7 months in prison and all that? somebody pls answer me oo 'cos this is getting out of hand.

Ade_Cool said...

Bastards!!..how about flogging the real thieves constantly looting the country's wealth!!..really pisses off..everything is just the other way round in 9ja..
Damn Judges!! happen to be one of the most corrupt elements in 9ja..EFCC ropes in this ole politicians and them Judges after collecting bribes throw out the case!!
If they hadn't stolen the money that was earmarked for improving the country would this kids be hawking!!..

Anonymous said...

I sincerely think the problem with that country is that SO MANY PEOPLE are just plain dumb.Can someone please tell me why the parents of these children were not reprimanded. In the usual short sighted, and may I add idiotic, Nigerian way,these kids were "FLOGGED" for doing the instructions of their parents. What a shame!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

The so called Barrister Eze and the Magistrate that sentenced those minors got to be kidding us.. Which places are 'anauthorised' in FCT? Were they selling inside ASO villa? Is that the Freedom of Information bill the learned people are supposed to persuade the National assembly to pass? Do those minors know section 35 (1d) of AEPB? Staff of national assembly hawk from stock fish to perfume right inside the national assemby complex and none of them has been jailed? Shame!

Enitan said...

there is something incredibly wrong with these people! Did they actually think that these 'minors' chose to hawk?

Like they had the option between school and hawking and chose to hawk!

Good heavens, we seem to be at the mercy of foolishness!

Anonymous said...

Oh my! poor children..is it their fault? have they not suffered enuff selling on d streets? they'll go home n be flogged on top again by their parents for letting police catch dem. Hisssss poor kids, kai am heart broken for dem.

Anonymous said...

i am too annoyed to even make a comment. those goats are useless dickheads. how can you punish children in need????? God will punish those fools and make them pay for this.

BoisNoir said...

this is outrageous, flogging minors? where is children's right? this is so sad

Anonymous said...

9ja is fucked up and the once flogging those kids should be hung at kirkiri. bastards

Femiluv said...

I guess this is how we solve the problem.... :(

Anonymous said...

As a former child hawker in Nigeria my heart goes out to those children no one knows tomorrow ... Today by God grace I live a good life at least they are not armed robbers - instead of the gov to help them - they flogging them -every other civilized country tries to eradicate child poverty and help it's children instead they flogging - the saddest thing is that there is enough wealth in that country to help the children - God will judge

divine said...

think some you guys are thinking outside the box.In those areas where this kids (nuisance) are caught are the city centers and such places are unauthourized areas for hawking. There is enough publicity to that effect, abatement were also served on several occasions to same people (kids/nuisance). times without number they have said it 'no hawking in the city center' but nope they would rather abuse those kids by sending then to the streets to hawk stuffs like pure(sachet) water.

misspretty said...

you people are just jumping the gun. Those kids are what they refer to as nuisance in the city center. they have being warned and served abatement on several occassions. the govt. says no hawking in the city center. whether minor or not 'a law is a law.' It might surprise you to know that those kids are leaving in the satallite towns (Kubwa, nyanya, mararaba etc) and they come all the way just to hawk common pure water(satchet water). The gain they make out of these sales of pure water is not even enuf to transport them back home. They become victims of rape and wat have you. The cane is preferable than assault or maybe death as they cross the road any how just to sell pure water. they dont even know wat zebra crossing means.

Linda Ikeji said...

@misspretty...i'm shaking my head at ur comment. so u think a 9yr old kid would prefer to hawk N5 pure water on the 'unsafe' streets rather than sit at home and watch TV or play with other children? u think they put themselves in that position? seriously i don't understand ur comment...

misspretty said...

It might be hard for u to comprehend,but its a serious business out here. The board (Abuja Environmental Protectn Board)is not saying that they shouldnt hawk@ol bt they should restrict themselves to the satallite towns. Atleast let this part(city center) be free of nuisance(beggars, hawkers,prostitutes,indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the streets'constitutes those hawking wares with wrappers')
The flogging aspect of it is wat i dont understand,the Tasks force(enforcement) catch up with the law breakers, take the minors to the social welfare center and the adults face the law(mobile court).
But of a truth, wateva they do its in the interest of those kids and the country. incidence of rape is on the rise and FCT is getting dirtier, even if those cleaning contractors have to be on the stand-by,just at a blink of an eye someone is tossing pure water sachets, groundnut chaffs... No one cares about the waste bins on the streets, shelter belt and caravan.

Anonymous said...

SHUT THE HELL UP MISS PRETTY AND WHATEVER THE HELL YOUR NAME IS!!!!!! AHHHH!! THIS IS ANNOYING! YOUR NAME IS THE OPPOSITE OF U!! U ARE UGLY INSIDE!!!!! I DONT CARE WHAT U SAY!! THERE'S NO JUSTIFICATION FOR FLOGGING KIDS FOR SOMETHING THEY DONT EVEN WANNA DO IN THE FIRST PLACE!! SOME NIGERIANS ARE JUST HEARTLESS!!!!!

Anonymous said...

@misspretty ur comment says alot about u so as a society we should "restrict" the less fortunate to "satellite" towns away from the elite out of sight so that we in our mercs and designer gear are not made uncomfortable by these "unsightly individuals" I bet u have never had to struggle for food in ur life - the reason we and I say we becos I identify with them come to the city centre is becos that's where the market is - u can sell ur wares for alot more profit - yes rape is a harsh reality of what could happen but its now the children's fault they get raped right? Try empathy it really does make one PRETTY

Surprise said...

@Misspretty... there should not be apartheid in Nigeria. Even in South Africa where it was prcticed, it has been long forgotten. So you saying there is a city center where some pple should not have access, is like introducing apartheid to Nigeria.

Rather than segregate pple or punish innocent children who in some cases are bread winners in their families, govt should rather introduce social security in the country to help those parents who are willing to work but unemployed, or due to circcumstances beyond there control could not cater for their children.

Govt. can also go a step further in providing future for these children by providing free and compulsory education for them. It is only after this has been done and the parents refused to embrace the opportunity that govt can now take any measure they deem neccessary against the parents not against the children.

skankmypeaceofmind said...

hmm...........so they are turning their aggression on the kids that happen to be the poster children for their incompetence and inability to do that which is right? wow, Nigeria truly sucks.

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