By Charity Nwakaudu
Security agencies in Abuja are on red alert as Christmas and New Year approach. Also, Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) read the riot act to recalcitrant traffic offenders to stick to rules or face unpalatable repercussions.
The VIOs pledged to collaborate with the police to tackle the growing rate of the popular “one-chance robbers” terrorising residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Directorate of Road Traffic Service, FCT, launched “Operation Eagle Claw” to sanitize the traffic system and eradicate the sale of alcohol in parks. The VIO in collaboration with security agencies moved around and arrested residents who failed to use the pedestrian bridges, impounded unworthy vehicles and cars wrongly parked in the city.
Its Director, Wadata Aliyu Bodinga, said the end has come for road unworthy vehicles and traffic offenders in Abuja: “All the 32 Area commands in FCT are hereby directed to ensure that they go full blown operation on these road unworthy vehicles where incident activities are taking place in the FCT.
“You are aware that we are already entering the festive period normally characterised by a lot of traffic issues because of the activities that accompany this period. Be it political, cultural and social activities. Once these ember months approach, we normally intensify our efforts but it is going to be a continuous process.
“We have informed them through all the union leaders and they promised that there will be no illegal parking or loading outside the parks within the FCT, but we are very surprised of what we are seeing. They left all the parks that were prepared for them for the roads.
“The penalties depend on the level of offense. Illegal parking is N25,550, on road worthiness depending on the offense, altogether will be in the range of N35,000. The offenders will be sued in the mobile court.
“We impounded 30 vehicles for illegal parking and for road unworthiness. Areas of operation include Area 3, Area 1 under the bridge, Berger and Osokoro.”
A union leader at Area 3, Abdullahi, said: “We are very happy with what is happening. These people loading outside the parks are destroying our business.