FCTA targets zero Okada on Abuja roads

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Administration has stepped its enforcement of its on the spot confiscation and crushing of commercial motorcycles caught within the  nation’s capital city centre and other restricted areas, until it records zero level of the meance.

To this end, during the fifth edition in the series of the signature exercise, yesterday, the FCTA impounded and crushed over 200 motorcycles.

Speaking during the exercise, Director, FCTA’s Directorate of Road Traffic Services ( DRTS), Dr. Abdulateef Bello, noted that although it has substantially reduced the number of motorcycles in Abuja, said there is no going back until the administration gets rid of them.

He said: “But it seems as if the efforts would  still be on until we achieve  the zero level of this exercise but something tells me that most of these  motorcycles riders are those that engage in criminal activities like drug peddling. As they are not tired we won’t be tired.

“There are over 200 that we are crushing today. We will continue to take them week by week untill we get  rid of them.

“We have already given order to all our commands that anywhere they are sited they should be impounded and handed over to DRTs.

Once they are sited at the wrong route they should be impounded and handed over to us”.

Similarly, Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, lamented that despite the warnings and advocacy from the administration, the motorcycle riders continue to violate traffic rules in FCT.

He described as unacceptable the increasing presence of motorcycles in the heart of the city especially at Guzape, Jahi, Asokoro, Durumi, and Garki respectively.

According to him, “It is a new year and we are surprise at the number of motorcycles we got.Look at the number, may be some persons who travelled home came back with their motorcycles. And these really cost money and it is very painful. 

“The FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Bello had made it clear that motorcycles cannot operate in these key areas Garki, Asokoro, Lugbe, and city center. 

However, the SSA, while making a passionate appeal to the  commercial motorcycle riders, said: “Please go and operate where it is legal,  and won’t have problems .

“The legal areas are large kwali, Abaji, Gwagalada, etc but the areas that are Illegal include, airport road, Garki, central area, Wuse  Kubwa etc. All the relevant Department and Secretariat’s have been  doing lots of advocacy. The biggest pain is for those who bought the motorcycles. We are all pained doing it”.  

Among those who witnessed the crushing of the motorcycles include: Ochi Samuel, FRSC FCT sector commander, Lt col. Murudeen Olawale (Commanding officer AHQ Garrison and DC Felix Ikwuegbu  2iC NSCDC FCT Command.