A Magistrate Court sitting in Bauchi has convicted and sentenced two men to jail for vandalising FERMA streetlighting installations along the Bauchi-Jos road.
The two convicts who pleaded guilty to the charge are to spend six and eight years with hard labour in jail, with a fine of N1,000.00 and N2,000.00 respectively.
Among challenges FERMA is facing in discharging its mandate of monitoring and maintaining all Federal roads in the country are rampant cases of vandalism of roads and support infrastructure.
Such practices which are criminal offences include aunauthorised digging or cutting across roads to install pipes and cables, removal or destruction of bridge railings and road signs, as well as dumping of refuse on the carriageway and drainage.
Other offences include excess axle loading (overloading) of vehicles, especially trucks and parking on the carriageways which cause accidents. Due to high prevalence of such practices, FERMA faces the enormous challenge of public enlightenment on the appropriate use of Federal Roads and its infrastructure.
