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….impounds 48 vehicle
By Stanley Onyekwere
No fewer than thirty-three vehicles belonging to commercial motorists were yesterday confiscated by the officials of the Directorate Road Traffic Services (DRTS) of the FCT Administration, for allegedly turning Area 1 under bridge into a motor park, one of the busy axis of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
In particular, team clamped down on motorists for alleged indiscriminate parking within and around the busy Area 1 Roundabout and the interchange connecting Games Village and Berger roundabout respectively, where 33 cars were confiscated and taken to DRTS Yard in Wuye District.
Also, the DRTS enforcement team stormed clusters of unapproved roadside car marts, and towed 15 cars from road corridor and pedestrian walk on Borno Street and Benin Street respectively, which is a residential area.
Explaining the exercise, the Zonal Commander in charge of Zone 1 of the DRTS, Osho Deborah Alaba, said the exercise is to send the message to the public that such activities are not allowed in the city.
Osho, who is an Assistant Director Operations, decried that daily, Area under the bridge is being used by some drivers as illegal parks, with several rickety vehicles, thereby constituting traffic jam in the area, which informed the operation.
“Our officers from the Area 1 Command of the Directorate and Task team stormed Area 1, and were able to make some arrest. We made a total arrest of 33 vehicles for alleged offences of operating illegal parking, unpainted, and rickety taxis at Area 1 under bridge while 15 vehicles were removed from illegal car marts in Area 10.
“Area 1 under the Bridge is not a car park. The FCT Minister has approved 3 car parks for Area 1, where motorists are supposed to pick and drop passengers.
“But, sadly everyday under the bridge is being used by some drivers as illegal parks , and there are lots of rickety vehicles, thereby constituting traffic jam in the area, this therefore informed this operation.
“ Area 1 under bridge is longed overdo to be cleared of illegal park as these drivers are stubborn , because they do not want to go to the designated parks .
“We don’t really know why they don’t want to go to the park, but we are sending messages to them that Area 1 under bridge is not a motor park, as we have about designated parks around Area 1, where they should go and operate. So, no more illegal park in that area”, she stressed.
Similarly, Head, DRTS Taskteam, Adamu Shehu Maiwada, disclosed that all the confiscated vehicles will be taken to the mobile court for further action.
Maiwada,who described the raid as a success, however, reiterated resolve to scale up the clampdown operations on illegal parks, garages and car marts in the nation’s capital city.
