FCTA Taskteam impounds 72 motorcycles, vehicles, tricycles
By Taofeek LAWAL, Ibadan
As part of its continuation to clampdown on illegal motor parks and garages in Abuja, officials of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services otherwise known as Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in collaboration with FCTA Command and Control Taskteam on City Sanitation on Monday raided and impounded vehicles from some dark spots in the nation’s capital city.
At least no fewer than forty-one (41) motorcycles, twenty-two (22) vehicles and fourteen (14) tricycles totalling 72 were impounded during the exercise which lasted for six hours.
Some of the areas raided by the team are Area 3 junction, Apo roundabout, Guzape junction near former SARS headquarters and AYA Roundabout and AA Rano. Others are Old CBN Junction in Garki, Apo Bridge, Gudu Market junction, Galadimawa Roundabout and the main entrance of The Games Village.
Head of FCT DTRS Taskteam, Adamu Shehu Maiwada led the officials drawn from Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), various traffic management and security agencies during the exercise.
Head of public relations and enlightenment, DTRS, Mr. Kalu Emetu said while briefing the media said the exercise was continuation of efforts to ensure free flow of traffic on Abuja roads.
Emetu said the dark spots were raided to create sanity on the roads to allow for free flow of traffic while adding that the confiscation of the tricycles and vehicles are to deter others from engaging in such menace.
“What the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) did again today (Monday) is to remind residents that there are designated places that they need to park their vehicles, and places they need to load or pick passengers in the city. These are people who broke the law. And the law is always there to guide, but some people find it difficult to believe the enforcement officers, because they feel that they are being meant to do what they don’t intend to do, but societies are not managed like that.”
“You are not expected to form an illegal motor park, and feel that it’s your private business, but there is law in place. And when you don’t enforce the law is as good as there is no law. Everywhere is not supposed to serve as motor parks. Abuja is a planned city, and when you don’t use a particular plot for what it’s meant to be, it becomes a problem, so you create problems for everybody living in the city.”
The enforcement team also raided and cleared makeshift shops and shanties inside an illegal market, along corridors of residential areas, behind Saint’s Mary and Alfred School, Adjacent Main Entrance Gate of Games Village, in Kaura District.
However, the affected traders were allowed to evacuate their wares before enforcement team dismantled and cleared what is left.
