Commuters Groan As FCTA Clamps Down On Commercial Vehicles

The Directorate of Road Traffic Service of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Thursday began impounding commercial vehicles considered dangerous to road users.

The exercise which involved a task force comprising men of the Nigerian Police Force and Civil Defence Corps caused serious gridlock along the popular Airport road with commuters being asked to disembark from impounded vehicles.

According to the Head of Taskforce, Adam Shehu, while speaking with THE WHISTLER, said the exercise began at the Life camp corridor on Thursday while it commenced in other parts of Abuja last week.

Shehu said, “We are from the DRTF, the Director of Road Traffic Service of VIO, FCT.

“What you are witnessing here is an inter-agency task force operation. We are impounding vehicles with bad or no headlamp, no brake light, and other essential parts that could cause an accident.

“It’s a directive from the minister. It’s a pity commuters have to experience this hardship but they must bear with us.

“What we are doing is to sanitize the FCT and remove unwanted vehicles prone to accidents from our roads.

“In less than one hour, we have impounded over 11 vehicles. When they are taken, the owners must fix them before the vehicles are released.”

Asked if the owners pay a fine, he said, “no fine. It’s purely targeted exercise. We take in vehicles unfit for the road and the owners fix them before returning them to the road,” he said.

One of the commuters who simply identified himself as Ajayi while speaking with our Correspondent commended the task force saying, “it will bring sanity to the road. These people drive anyhow because their vehicles are broken. So they can even hit you because they have nothing to lose.

“We are suffering from it but I think it’s commendable.”

Another road user, Rose, who was forced off one of the impounded vehicles lamented that with no alternative vehicles, “the exercise should take place at the various motor parks instead of when the vehicles are carrying passengers to their destinations.

“Look at it now, I’m late for work but I was asked to get down. That’s just it, they need to consider us who use these vehicles too.”

Shehu said the exercise will last for as long as necessary until the minister is sure such vehicles have been taken off the road across the FCT.