The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has vowed to arrest and prosecute owners and drivers of heavy duty vehicles involved in accidents that maim and kill people.
While adding that any heavy duty vehicle and truck that is involved in accident on these routes would be throughly investigated. Their owners and drivers would be prosecuted for lives lost and damages.
Chairman, FCT Ministerial Traffic Management Team, Mr Ikharo Attah stated this on Wednesday at Nyanya during a rescue operation at two scenes of road crashes involving heavy duty vehicles and trucks.
He hinted that, “A late Tuesday night accident involving two trucks carrying food, Malt drinks and alcoholic beverages caused severe traffic gridlock during the morning hours on Wednesday when workers were heading to work.
“An early morning accident less than two hundred meters from the night crash, involving a Dangote truck, a costal Bus and tree other vehicles worsen the already chaotic traffic situation.
” From investigations of previous road crashes particularly on the Zuba- Gwagwalada and the AYA-Nyanya Road, we discovered that some of this trucks and articulated duty vehicles are not properly maintained by their corporate and private owners.
” If not for the combined efforts of the DPO Nyanya, CSP Majia, FRSC Nyanya unit Commander, Mrs Sabena and a strong support of the Karu police Division the road would have not been passable at all. They deployed their men from 11. 40pm Tuesday night and worked till 10am Wednesday morning to bring the situation fully under control”.
“Despite series of efforts and enlightenment, it seems as some persons are yet to come to terms with the vision to make Abuja a safe city for motorists and commuters” , he explained.
Attah, however, condemned attempts by some youths and refuse vendors to loot the food and other items from the scene of the crashes, saying, ” one wonders why some people will see rice, drinks at accident scene and be calling them palliatives. The Nyanya police team did a brilliant job by preventing the youths who came out in their hundreds to loot he items”.
Meanwhile, an eye witness told journalists that policemen fired teargas severally during the night to disperse the youths who were desperate to cart away the items, particularly the bags of rice.
Nnenna.O
