As part of measures to ensure seamless vehicular traffic, the authority of the Nigerian federal capital territory, FCT, has commenced the intensive removal of illegal car marts along corridors of major roads in the nation’s capital city.
Officials drawn from the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Development Control Department, Parks and Recreation department and Security Services Department accompanied by security operatives stormed and cleared illegal car marts in Gudu, Apo and Area 1-10 , all within Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
Consequently, no fewer than ten cars and a truck were impounded from illegal car marts hotspots located off Oladipo Diya Road, Abdulsalam Abubakar Road in Gudu District, Apo NEPA junction, Area 1 to 10.
Speaking during the exercise, leader of the joint Taskforce, Wadata Aliyu Bodinga, said the removal exercise followed the expiration of a vacation directive to the illegal car marts dealers in the city.
Bodinga, who is also the Director of DRTS, said the Directorate is working with all the FCTA relevant departments and security agencies to rid the city of impediments to traffic in the territory.
He noted that there were substantial compliance especially in Gudu, where hitherto more than three hundred vehicles littered on the corridors of the highway, but not a single one was seen, as all of them have been removed by the owners on their own volition.
He, however appealed to others who the Taskforce is yet to visit their areas to equally remove them, warning that the refusal to comply with the FCTA order especially on the issue of illegal car marts will attract the wrath of the law enforcement officers.
“This exercise is a continuous one, as we are going to continue to monitor these areas, any vehicle that is impounded will go through the mobile court. We must make sure that this time around, people don’t get away with this kind of acts.
“So far I think we have impounded about ten or thereabout, and we are still counting as the assignment is still in progress. We’re taking the compounded cars to our facility in Wuye District, and we going to arraign them in mobile court.
“It’s no more business as usual because most of these carmarts had been removed in the past, but they just decided to come back. And this time around, we will be available to monitor them,” he stressed.
On whether there is a designated place for cart dealers in the city, Bodinga said: “At the moment they have Kubwa road, and we agreed that even though that one too is a temporary arrangement, the FCTA has given the concession that they can go there to do their business.”
Traffic congestion
On his part, Chairman, FCT traffic management Taskteam, Comrade Attah Ikharo, decried the situation where cars littered along the roads in the city centre paints Abuja in a very bad light.
According to him: “During the exercise, we saw vehicles parked on the pedestrian walkways in Area 10, and people who are supposed to use the facility will now be forced to walk on the main carriage way thereby impeding vehicular traffic.
“The walkways have been turned into car parks, which is in contravention with planning principles. And when all these are cleared people can easily move very freely. Dakwa ought to be the permanent site, but there are some issues of contention” he said.
Emmanuel Ukoh
