Beware of law: Three men land in prison for smoking in public

Gift Ibrahim, Abubakar Sani and Lawal Abdullahi, have been sentence to two weeks in prison in Karmo Grade One Area Court, Abuja, on Monday for constituting public nuisance.

The Magistrate, Inuwa Maiwada, however, ordered the convicts to pay a fine of N2000 each in the alternative.

Ibrahim, Sani and Abdulahi, of no fixed addresses, had pleaded guilty to one-count charge of constituting public nuisance.

The prosecutor, Mrs Ijeoma Ukagha, told the court that the convicts were arrested at a black spot at Utako village, Abuja.

Ukagha said that the three had been caught smoking at the spot on many occasions and were warned severally to stay away from the spot.

She said that a team of policemen attached to Utako Police Station led by Insp. Abu Mohammed arrested the convicts on Oct. 11 when they failed to adhere to the instruction.

She added that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 199 of the Penal Code.