By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has resumed it zero tolerance enforcement against operation of recalcitrant commerical motorcyclists and impounded 75 ‘okada’ for constituting security threats in strategic areas.
This came as the combined team of the administration recently seized 94 motorcycles popularly called okada at Kubwa in Bwari Area Council of the territory.
During the fresh exercise, on Tuesday at Dutse-Alhaji junction, Arab junction, Jahi and Kubwa phase 4, Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the Minister of FCT, Ikharo Attah said the enforcement followed Minister’s directives to the key components of the administration to mop up the city of commercial motorcycles.
He stated that the operation which would be sustained, became imperative following the unruly activities of okada in areas where they are not supposed to operate.
Attah explained that since the commencement of the exercise, the report filtering out of Kubwa in area of security, shows that 11 per cent success had been recorded.
According to him, the menace of okada in the area was gradually coming to an end.
He said: “The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, malam Muhammad Bello has given a clear directive to key officials of the administration particularly the Director, Directorate of Road Traffic Services and other components to go out and mop up the commercial motorcycles from areas they are not supposed to operate.
“The areas are Jahi, Dutse-Alhaji junction and part of Kubwa stretch, the good news filtering out from Kubwa is that, crime wave is reduced, even if we had not done up to 11 per cent, there is success.
“The good thing is that the okada menace is brought to a halt. The unruly okada behaviour in those strategic areas is over, if you go there you will think we have not done enough but we have done well, we will sustain it”.
The head, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) operations, Deborah Osho said: “The essence of the operation is to rid the city of okada menace, and some areas that the Minister has pronounced ban on them, Kubwa and Dutse-Alhaji. It is an ongoing operation, we will keep it up”
On sustaining the operation, Adamu Shehu, Head of the DRTS Task force Team, who disclosed that 75 okada were arrested, said the DRTS under the current Director, Abdulateef Bello is concerned about ending illegal activities of automobiles within the city.
