The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through its Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), has impounded about 20 unpainted vehicles for operating as commercial taxis and parking illegally within the city centre.
The head of Operations, Deborah Osho, made this known after the FCTA Task Force impounded the vehicles at Garki-Apo Bridge in Area 3, and the Federal Secretariat axis of the capital city on Friday.
Osho stated that aside from the illegality of the operations of the vehicles, the vehicles obstructed the Abuja Masterplan and defaced the city, while also noting the security threats that they posed to the city.
She added that some of the vehicles were also not roadworthy, and were, therefore, not to be in the city, adding that the offenders would be charged to a mobile court, and that the DRTS would get the permission of the court to dismember the non-roadworthy vehicles, which could not be repaired.
“It is not that these guys do not have a place to go, they can enter Eagle Square and pick up their passengers there. But, they have chosen to do illegal parks or to park their vehicles illegally on this route to pick up passengers.
“Not only that, some of the vehicles as we have witnessed are just not road worthy. They are not road worthy, they do not befit even to be in the city centre, yet they are all piling the city centre, defacing the city centre.
“Most of them will be handed over to the mobile court, the mobile court is the next action. They will be arraigned before the mobile court, and a pronouncement will be made, and some of them will pay some huge sum of fine before they are released,” she said.
The DRTS head of Operations, however, said that those that have vehicles that could be repaired, they will be repaired before they are released to them.
“If not, it will be butchered. We will seek the court to permit us to butcher the vehicles, that is what we will be doing,” she added.
Also, the secretary of the Command and Control Unit in the FCT Administration, Peter Olumuji, explained that the operation was focused on illegal parking lots and unpainted taxis in the FCT.
He said that while the FCT Administration was aware of the economic challenges, that it was important to ensure the safety and security of residents.
“When you allow such to persist, then those who have criminal intentions too will capitalise on it and that is what we have seen in recent times, and I believe that is why the DRTS has a robust platform they have established.
“If you now want to go into a commercial venture, then there is a platform you have to register with them, and you will not be disturbed.
“But, not just wantonly doing what is wrong and you want the government to close their eyes all in the name of the economy is hard. Yes, the economy is hard, but that does not mean that security and safety issues will not be tackled accordingly,” he stated.
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