By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigeria Police force has linked banditry, robberies and other criminal activities in territory to motorcycle operators.
Sunday Babaji, FCT commissioner of police stated this during the crushing of 1,700 impounded motorcycles in line with FCT Administration ban on ‘okada’ operation in the city.
The administration banned activities of motorcycle operators within the city centre in 2006.
Babaji who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Hauwa Ibrahim, said: “The reasons behind the impounding of motorcycles in Abuja, was as a result of criminal activities being conducted by some persons, using motorcycles.
“The use them in snatching of bags, bank robberies, attacks on residential areas and they were becoming security threat to the security of FCT, on that note there was outcry that led to the banning of motorcycles within the city in 2006 by the FCT Administration, since then we have been working together in impounding Okada”
In his remarks , the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Dr Abdulateef Bello said crushing of the motorcycles would serve as deterrent to other stubborn ones.
He explained that the last exercise was carried out in December, 2021 where many others were destroyed.
Bello said: “The efforts of the enforcement of okada ban in FCT is yielding so much results. Today, We are starting with over 1,700 motorcycles, they were impounded from people that remain adamant operating within unauthorized areas.
“The DRTS task force always demonstrate substantial capacity to manage the enforcement but it would not be enough without the cooperation and support of the command and control established in the Federal Capital Territory Administration with the support of the joint security task force being managed by the FCT Police Command.
“So, today we are marking another beginning by performing the crushing” he said.
