The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has resumed its “impound and crush operation” following what it observed as massive influx of motorcycle operators to the city center.
In furtherance to this, members of the enforcement team Thursday last week, crushed over 200 motorcycles impounded from restricted areas within the Federal Capital City.
Director FCTA Directorate of Road Traffic Services, DRTS, Dr. Abdulateef Bello, while speaking to journalists at the venue of the crushing of the motorcycles, said there is no going back until the administration achieve zero level.
According to him, “This is the fifth edition in the series and I have no doubt that from the enforcement we have carried out, we have substantially reduced the number of motorcycles in Abuja.
“But it seems as if the efforts would still be on until we achieve zero level of this exercise. I am convinced that most of these motorcycle riders are those that engage in criminal activities like drug peddlings. As they are not tired we won’t be tired.”
He stressed that the exercise will be a continuous one, with crushing operation carried out every week until the enforcement team succeeds in ridding the city of the menace of commercial motorcyclists.
“We have already given order to all our commands that anywhere they are sited should be impounded and handed over to DRTs. Once they are sited at the wrong route they should be impounded and handed over to us”.
On his part, the Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, lamented the massive influx of motorcycle riders into the city despite the warnings and advocacy from the administration, stating that the situation was not unacceptable.
He said, “It is a new year and we are surprise at the number of motorcycles we got at Guzape, Jahi, Asokoro, Durumi, Garki, despite our advocacy.
“The FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Bello had made it clear that motorcycles cannot operate in these key areas Garki, Asokoro, Lugbe, and the city center. These bikes really cost money and it is very painful.”
Attah who suspects that the motorcycle owners must have brought in their bikes while returning from yuletide holidays, commended the DRTS Director for his efforts at sustaining the raid on motorcycle operators in the city center.
The SSA, also appealed to the commercial motorcycle riders to operate only within areas allowed for such activities.
“The legal areas are kwali, Abaji, Gwagalada, etc but the areas that are Illegal include, Airport road, Garki, central area, Wuse Kubwa etc. All the relevant department and secretariats have been doing lots of advocacy yet these motorcycle operators have remained adamant.”
Some security personnel who observed that crushing exercise include the FCT Sector Commander of the FRSC, Ochi Samuel, Lt Col. Nurudeen Olawale (Commanding officer AHQ Garrison) and DC Felix Ikwuegbu, 2iC NSCDC FCT Command.
