The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has initiated a crackdown on “one-chance” syndicates operating in prohibited parking areas within Abuja, in an effort to ensure the safety of the city’s residents.
Mr. Peter Olumuji, the Secretary of the Taskforce’s Command and Control Centre established to enforce sanity in the city, disclosed on Wednesday in Abuja that the raid was carried out to maintain safety.
The team conducting the operation consisted of personnel from various agencies, including the Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Security, Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Additionally, personnel were drawn from the Directorate of Road Traffic Service (DRTS), Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Social Development Secretariat, and other relevant agencies in the FCT.
During the raid, Olumuji explained that the “one-chance” syndicates often utilize unpainted taxis at unapproved motor parks to deceive unsuspecting residents, rob them of their valuables, and abandon them along the way or even cause harm.
He also highlighted the dislodgement of beggars and individuals causing nuisance around Bannex junction and other parts of the city.
“The enforcement team is all out to ensure that we raid any location that harbours one-chance motorists, illegal motor parks, or unapproved parking spaces. We have also realized that besides causing public nuisance, some of the beggars are being used to gather information for criminals,” Olumuji stated.
In addition to the crackdown on “one-chance” syndicates, the raid led to the impoundment of approximately 15 vehicles in areas like Bannex Junction and Federal Secretariat for various traffic violations.
Mrs. Deborah Osho, the Deputy Director of Operations, DRTS, emphasized that most of the impounded vehicles were rickety and not fit for the road.
She pointed out that the illegal parks established by commercial drivers were causing severe traffic congestion and obstructing major road corridors, including pedestrian walkways.
“We will keep clamping down and seizing their vehicles until they learn to do the right thing,” Osho asserted.
