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Mobile phone rage rock Nigeria, the Turf

United we stand

Here's a curious one. What's the link between hacked off Nigerian consumers and mutinous jockeys from the UK?

Give up? Okay, it's mobile phones. You see, Nigerian pressure group, The Consumer Rights Project, has called on punters to boycott their mobile phones on 19 September.

They reckon running a mobile phone in Nigeria is just too darned expensive. And even if they're prepared to stump up the cost, the service is, by all accounts, decidedly patchy.

Which is why punters are calling for a mobile phone-free day - a strike, if you like - to hit operators where it hurts.

One hacked off punter quoted in this report said: "The tariffs are killing us, eating deep into my pocket. I was planning to dump my line at the end of the month because I can no longer maintain it. It is a choice between keeping it and feeding well."

Away from Nigeria and into the paddock, racing at Sandown on Sunday looks set to be abandoned following the decision by jockeys to stay away over a row concerning the use of mobile phones.

The row stems from the decision by the sport's administrators to ban the use of mobile phones by jockey's during race meetings. The new regulation was introduced to try and stop any sensitive information - which might affect betting - leaking out from the weighing room.

But jockeys are revolting, complaining that the move is too draconian, impeding their ability to work and organise new rides.

So, Nigerian punters are planning to boycott mobile phones over their high cost, while jockeys are set to strike over being forced not to use their mobiles. Well, it is Friday... ®

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