In a bold move to curtail kidnapping and the ubiquitous ‘one chance’ cab robbery in Abuja, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has said the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) will issue security clearance to commercial bus and taxi drivers in the nation’s capital, effective January 2025.
Wike gave the indications at the FCT Renewed Hope Youth Empowerment Program in Abuja on Thursday.
The minister warned that any commercial bus or taxi driver who is not cleared by the security agencies will not be allowed to operate within the FCT.
He said: “Most of the Keke Napep and most of the motorcycles are informants. Everybody here who is a beneficiary is being profiled by security.
“And so what we are coming up with is that from January next year, there will be nobody that will operate as a taxi driver or a bus driver without having approval from security, with security profiling you and without going about with Abuja colour.
“Nothing like using any vehicle on the road. No, we won’t allow that. We won’t allow that starting in January.
“We will take the vehicle number, the names of the drivers, and the rest so everybody will have confidence that this is the vehicle I’m entering in case anything happens.”
Persecondnews reports that Wike also handed over keys to new cars to beneficiaries to use as taxis.
He urged the beneficiaries to embrace their empowerment as taxi drivers.
The minister observed that many Nigerians who turn down taxi driving jobs at home readily accept them abroad.
He said: “They are not paying a dime. No, the government is saying this is our support to feed your family and reduce the cost of transportation in the city. Abuja should compete with other cities in the world.”
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