In furtherance to its latest policy of on the spot confiscation and crushing of motorcycles found in restricted areas, the FCT Administration yesterday, crushed over 300 okadas at the Area 1 axis of the territory.
A raid along Guzape and Durumi districts, through to the Airport road-Lugbe and Kubwa axis, saw a total of 365 motorcycles seized.
Owners of the impounded vehicles had to watch helplessly as their motorcycles were reduced to corrugated metal by a bulldozer.
Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, said the worst situation which the Minister is worried about, is the flagrant attitude of these operators to abusing traffic rules, and incessantly driving on the wrong lanes.
He said the administration only allowed them to operate in interior villages and estates, where possible, but Okada operators have continued to violate the restrictions with serious arrogance and violent attacks on enforcement officers.
According to him, the new policy of impounding bikes and immediately crushing them, was initiated to serve as deterrent and also eliminate the crowd that always besiege the office of Directorate of Road Traffic Services to beg for the release of the bikes.
Attah disclosed that minister has given a marching order that the bikes should be impounded and crushed immediately, and this may not be unconnected with reports of Okada riders attacking people and also committing crimes in the city.
He said, “This operation is a signature project and a decision of the FCTA Security Committee, they agreed that we should go back to massive enforcement of the ban on commercial motorcycles in the Federal Capital City as well as some strategic locations, like the airport road and Kubwa where they have become a big threat to the people.
“We have brought the 356 motorcycles here in Area 1 for immediate crushing because the menace cannot continue. We have gotten complain daily about Okada riders across the city.”
Attah also dismissed accusations that the decision to crush siezed bikes was callous, insisting that since the ban on activities of commercial motorcycle riders was placed in 2006, impounded bikes hardly get back to their owners.
He added that the taskforce got a forfeiture orders for all the impounded bikes.
Also Speaking, the Mandate Secretary, FCTA Transport Secretariat, Abdullahi Candido, stressed that the Secretariat will not succumb to preasures from any quarters to allow for any form of illegalities in the nation’s capital.
In his remarks, the Director, DRTS, Dr. Abdulateef Bello, said the operation being the second outing of the joint task team, was commenced to ensure the clean up of commercial motorcycles from the City centre.
He reiterated the need for okada riders to obey the traffic rules and all other regulations that will make them acceptable in the areas their operations are permissible.
