The Secretary of Transport Secretariat, Comrade Opeifa Kayode, has admonished the leaders of Abuja Municipal Area Council Joint Taskforce (JTF), to desist from engaging in illegal acts and over stepping its jurisdiction on environmental and security enforcement.
This is coming against the backdrop of a subtle clash of interest between officials of AMAC and FCTA, on who controls the major axises within the Abuja metropolis.
In particular, the crisis took a different form when the special FCT Ministerial Joint Taskforce arrested men and officers of the AMAC Taskforce, led by Mr. Chinedu Obika who were allegedly caught terrorising the public within the metropolis.
Reacting to the development, the FCT Transport boss, vehemently condemned the actions by the AMAC Taskforce, whom its men allegedly resorted to assaulting superior police men attached to the Ministerial Taskforce.
According to him, “ I’m disappointed that men of the Nigerian police could resort to disgracing their superior officers by laying hands on their uniforms, it is most disturbing.
“I must tell you that AMAC has no jurisdiction in arresting motorists for infringement on street parking regulations.
“I can also said that the act is tantamount to disruption of public peace, as your duty is at designated parks as approved by the Minister.”
Mr. Opeifa, who ordered the immediate release of the arrested men of AMAC JTF, directed that all reported cases of assault, must be documented officially for record purposes.
He however appealed that both group should apologize to each, for peace just as they both need each other to operate maximally.
“When I was in Lagos we used to see this kind of situation of the local council revenue tax force encroaching on the state revenue agency but we always tell them not to over step their boundary.
“But we can always find a ground for a meeting point and every body will be happy,” he stressed.
On his part, the chairman of the AMAC Task force, Mr. Obika, apologized for his men’s inaptitude and insensitivities.
He noted that the what happened between his men and the Ministerial JTF has actually exposed him to the laws on FCT environmental Taskforce.
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