· Additional 600 bikes for crushing – DRTS
· Insensitive, no economic sense – Residents
By Laraba MUREY
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory have continued to express their angst over the destruction of 1,500 motorcycles by the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, DRTS, with most describing the exercise as mindless waste in the face of hardship and extreme poverty.
The motorcycles, were reportedly confiscated by the FCT Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO, between January and June 2021, for violating traffic laws including the ban on activities of commercial motorcycle in parts of the city.
Director of the service, Wadata Bodinga, while supervising the crushing of the motorcycles in Wuye District, disclosed that 600 additional motorcycles are also undergoing the process of forfeiture, adding that the exercise would continue until the FCT was rid of criminal elements and traffic law violators.
He said, “We have begun the crushing of seized motorcycles that have been duly forfeited by a court of law. There are about 1,500 of them. There are other 600 motorcycles that are undergoing the process of forfeiture; we will also follow the same procedure with these ones.
“We believe this would serve as a deterrent to people who have refused to follow the rules guiding the operation of motorcycles in the FCT. The law abiding ones have no problem with us. This exercise will continue until the last motorcycle is completely crushed.”
Some Nigerians have, however, taken to social media to express outrage over the exercise, arguing that the motorcycles should have been converted to other uses instead of destroying them.
The vehicles are estimated to cost about N350 million, as a single motorcycle cost between N250,000 to N350k each, depending on the brand, location and bargaining power of the buyer.
A Facebook user, Bonaventure Melah, questioned the rational behind the exercise, describing it as “senseless” and “brazen impunity” on the part of officials of the FCTA, police and VIO, who carried out the operation.
“You proudly crushed 1,500 motorcycles because their riders violated rules and put that huge population out of jobs as well as deny them their means of livelihood, including their dependents.”
He warned that the exercise could further heighten the rate of insecurity, as hundreds of the motorcycle riders would have lost their means of livelihood.
“Why do we complain of insecurity when leaders brazenly destroy the means of livelihood for poor citizens?
“The easiest way to control all these minor infractions by the hungry poor is through effective regulation, not senseless and brazen impunity. In almost all states in Nigeria, what you hear is ‘ban Okada, ban Keke, ban this, ban that.’
“How can you ban someone’s means of livelihood without providing alternatives? You ban and ban because you shamelessly cannot think of effective regulation strategies. You are lazy to think.
“What you need to do as a leader is simple – insist that all commercial motorcycles must be registered. Input all the details of the motorcycles, riders, sureties, contacts in your data base and install microchip trackers on the machine. If anyone commits crime, seize the motorcycle, impose appropriate sanction; and they pay, release the machine.
“But corruption will not let us make use of technology to regulate the society. So we ban and destroy.”
He added that leaders are judged by what they built and not what they destroy, “as it is easy to destroy than to build.
“Every human being is entitled to seek basic things of life- shelter, food, clothes, drink and others. If you destroy someone’s hard-fought means of livelihood, what do you expect him/her to do?
“Therefore, if you don’t know the reasons for your insecurity, you truly don’t know anything.”
Another Facebook user, Akinjide Babalola, was of the opinion that the bikes should have been auctioned to raise funds for the government, rather than crushing them.
“Why such mindless waste in a country burdened with much poverty? Can’t these be auctioned to those doing package deliveries or even, poor people in neighbouring states who biggest needs include having a motorcycle to ride to the farm? We just seize and burn anyhow.”
Also, Agabaidu Jideani suggested that offenders should rather have been fined, “regulate use of Okada and ensure continuation of business.”
On his part, Niyi Alade said the exercise was a “terrible act from those dealers we call leaders. They would have done the needful at the right time. But they failed woefully to move with the advancement in technology. A hungry man is an angry man, and can do anything thing to survive. You are not feeling the pains of the common man, but nothing last forever.”
For Chookie Efere, the crushing of 1500 motorcycles is tantamount to, “A sledgehammer used to crush a common housefly. Wasted resources. The motorcycles could have been taken to the vital areas and auctioned out. Misapplied coercion.”
Duhe Fluteman said, “I am sure you don’t know that you have rendered millions of families jobless and hungry, ‘cause if you cross multiply the 1,500 bike crushed then trust me you will understand better because a lot of people are linked up depending and surviving by the bike owners.”
The FCT police commissioner, Babaji Sunday, said the exercise would help curtail insecurity in the territory.
According to him, most of the motorcycles were being used to commit crimes in the nation’s capital.
“These motorcycles are being used to commit most of the crimes, especially kidnapping and banditry, even within the city centre. They always use these motorcycles as getaway and that is why we are crushing them,” he said.
“This would help reduce the crime rate seriously. When they are caught, they would be made to face the law and their motorcycles would be crushed.”
Efforts by The Abuja Inquirer to get the take of the VIO against the backlash was unsuccessful as calls and messages to the public relations officer to the DRTS, Mr. Kalu Emetu, went unanswered as at the time of filing this report.
