The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike says the FCT Administration will soon ban unpainted taxis and buses from plying FCT roads.
Wike, who disclosed this during a media chat in Abuja, explained that the move was to address the incidence of robbery called ‘one chance’ in the city.
It was gathered that ‘once chance’ involves criminals posing as taxi drivers who rob, assault, and sometimes murder their unsuspecting passengers.
The Minister said that the incidence of the menace of one chance had been brought down and stricter measures were necessary to end the trend in the FCT.
He said; “We are not going to allow vehicles that are not painted with FCT colour and registered by the FCTA to ply commercial in the territory.
“That way, you know the driver is certified by the FCT and the buses and the taxes were also approved by the FCT.
“When this is done, you as the passenger will not take the risk of going to enter any vehicle that you don’t even know.”
Wike further said that Uber operators would also need to register to operate in Abuja, so that the government would know who the divers are.
He also said that the drivers need to be certified and profiled by the security agencies, this is a city, if you don’t have rules, there will be problems.”
The Minister’s expressed concern that the capital territory does not have an official terminal where residents can go and board a bus to a specific destination.
“That way, you know the drivers and the vehicle that you are entering.
“But currently, everybody is just on the road. You are going to Nyanya, a car is on the road, you enter; you are going to Wuye, a car is on the road you enter.
“What we are trying to do in the 2024 fiscal year is to at least build three terminals for a start, so that we will know the buses and taxes that will carry people from such terminals,” he explained.
Wike said; “When this is done nobody will take the risk of going on the road to waif for a taxi. That way, you will be able to reduce crimes.”
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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