FCTA begins intensive clampdown on road traffic offenders

• …50 motorists subjected to psychiatric evaluation

By Stanley Onyekwere

To ensure improved safety on road traffic in Abuja, the nation’s capital city, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday commenced intensive monitoring and clampdown on motorists causing traffic infractions.
In particular, the FCTA through its Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), otherwise known as Vehicles Inspection Office (VIO) on the first of its reinvigorated enforcement arrested no fewer than 50 motorists for various beating traffic lights and driving against traffic.
It was gathered 34 cases were referred for psychiatric evaluation after they were fined appropriately by the FCT Mobile Court, while 16 cases which were also referred for evaluation, would be arraigned before the mobile Court today for trial proper.
Also, the offenders were made to pay fines from N5,000 to N30,000 respectively, depending on the nature and gravity of the traffic infractions.
Briefing newsmen about the exercise, DRTS Director, Wadata Bodinga explained that the operation started basically from Ahmadu Bello Way transversing Oando filling station in Gwarinpa, and all the way to Gudu axis, where the Ahmadu Bello Way ended.
Bodinga said DRTS personnel have been stationed at all the intersections where there are traffic lights and some intersections where the traffic lights are not working, to do traffic control.
He added that the operation is going to be continuous, as the Directorate is going to intensify it until order is maintained in terms of traffic regulations in the FCT.
“It was actually a very successful operation. And we are doing this operation together with other security agencies like Police, Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC), so it is going to be a synergised operation.
“Our basic operation is on the beating of traffic lights as well as those who drive against the traffic. There are basically some little challenges that have to do with people who have resisted arrest.
“We only had one case of somebody who tried to run with our officer and along the line, there was a minor accident, but fortunately for us nobody got injured.
“The offender has since been remanded in Kuje prison for alleged act of deliberate dangerous driving and intention to abduct an officer,” he stressed.
Similarly, Acting Director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu said the operation was necessitated by a matching order from the highest body in the country.
Ahmadu said the FCT Minister, the Minister of State and Permanent Secretary took the assignment seriously, saying ” it doesn’t matter who you are once you are arrested you will be subjected to psychiatric test and be made to faced the law.
” Because no normal human being will beat traffic, so we need to check the state of mental stability and when that is done you know face the law and offenders will pay for their mental evaluation.”
She therefore admonished FCT residents to always be law abiding by obeying traffic law, stating that the faces of offenders would be exposed through the media.
On his part, Chairman, FCT Ministerial Task Team on Traffic Control, Mr. Ihkaro Attah, who cautioned against reckless driving, restated the commitment of the FCT Administration to ensure free vehicular and human movement in the Territory.