Some security personnel have been accused of encouraging the excesses of commercial motor cyclists to violate traffic rules and operating in unauthorised places in the FCT.
Head of the Directorate of Road Traffic Service taskteam, Adamu Maiwada, who made the accusations during the DRTS’ operation “Fire-For- Fire” against motorcyclists plying Nyanya- AYA axis and environs, said most security personnel always challenge their authority whenever the commercial bikes they board are impounded.
Maiwada explained that the patronage of okada riders was the major obstacle they were grappling with, as some security personnel have made it a habit to board commercial motorcycles to the city centre despite the ban.
He enjoined Abuja residents and security personnel to stop patronising commercial motorcyclists to avoid aiding them in violating traffic rules.
In his words, “On the second day of the exercise, about 52 commercial motorcycles, 10 delivery motorcycles, 5 vehicles, and eight tricycles were apprehended and impounded for violation of various traffic rules.
“That’s why we are still warning and advising people indulging in such menace, especially those patronising them, to ensure that they desist from doing so.
“Like what happened this morning; some security personnel were challenging our authority, after being caught on an okada taking one-way.”
“So, we are having obstacle from some of security personnel that are always giving us problem. And it’s mainly those staying outside the barracks that are giving us problem.
“It’s not even that they are riding commercial motorcycles, what they do is board Okada from such areas to the town, and they try intervene when you’re about to arrest the rider, and if you refuse, they try to make an issue of it, and because of Esprit De Corps, we sometimes allow them to go,” Maiwada said.
According to him, the confiscated delivery motorcycles will be arraigned in the Mobile Court, while those used for Okada activities are seized forever, because of existing ban on their operations in the nation’s capital city since 2016.
The areas raided by the Team include Kugbo spot, AYA Roundabout, behind the ECOWAS Secretariat, Apo Resettlement, Gudu district, among other areas.
