Just in: FCTA crushes 601 impounded motorcycles

In a major crackdown, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday destroyed about 601 impounded motorcycles, further intensifying efforts to restore order and discipline on the nation’s capital city’s roads.

FCTA’s Mandate Secretary, Transportation Secretariat, Dr Elechi Chinedum, told journalists after the exercise that the motorcycles were impounded for violating traffic rules.

Chinedum explained that the crushing was backed by an FCT Administration regulation which prohibits commercial motorcycles from operating in certain areas.

He added that the law empowers the FCTA and its agencies to impound and crush commercial motorcycles violating the law.

He said: “There is nothing we can do apart from enforcing the law. What we do is to try as much as possible to enforce the regulation and not to punish anybody.”

He advised residents against operating commercial motorcycles in prohibited areas, warning, “If we catch you, we will impound and crush it.”

Earlier, DRTS Director, Dr. Abdulateef Bello, said the exercise was aimed to curb traffic infractions in the territory.

Bello said:“This exercise has been our usual routine exercise to enforce the existing ban on the use of commercial motorcycles in the federal capital city. You will recall that the ban was initiated in 2006 to control and curtail their abuses by motorcyclists in the city.

“However, the current concern is to curb criminality and other security threats. As you may be aware, commercial motorcycles have been used to facilitate crime and criminality in the city.”

He advised residents still investing in commercial motorcycle businesses to reconsider it, warning that the DRTS would continue impounding and crushing motorcycles violating the law.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations, FCT Command, Mode Magawata, reiterated FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s directive that motorcycles operating in restricted areas would be impounded.

Magawata pointed out that motorcycles were being used by criminals to commit various crimes and facilitate quick escapes within the city.

She said: “They are criminals; they are armed robbers, and they use motorcycles to kidnap innocent residents.

“This is why Wike said he does not want to see any commercial motorcycles within the restricted areas.”