In a bid to reinforce the ban on commercial motorcycles, commonly known as “Okada,” within the city centre of Abuja, the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) recently conducted an operation to impound and crush 400 illegally operating motorcycles.
This move, according to Mrs. Deborah Osho, the Head of Operations at DRTS, was in strict compliance with the provisions of the law.
According to her, the ban on Okada operations within the city centre of Abuja has been in effect since 2006, as directed by the Federal Capital Territory Road Transport Regulation of 2005.
This regulation designates specific areas where Okada riders are permitted to operate, excluding the city center districts, including Wuse, Central Business District, Maitama, Asokoro, and others.
“The enforcement of this ban became necessary due to several concerns. Okada operators had been associated with security threats, quick getaways from crime scenes, kidnappings, snatching valuables, mobile phone theft, and a rising number of accidents within the city.
“Therefore, the decision to crush impounded Okada motorcycles aligns with the law, which provides for such action against motorcycles seized for constituting security threats or those impounded with a court forfeiture order.
“Despite prior sensitization and awareness campaigns conducted even before the ban in 2006, Okada operators within the city centre continued to defy the regulations. Authorities have also held meetings with Okada leadership to emphasize the ban and its consequences for non-compliance,” Osho explained in an interview.
She said that to strengthen the enforcement of the ban and address issues of alleged corruption in the seizure process, the FCTA amended the ban to include the forfeiture of impounded commercial motorcycles to the government.
“This approach aims to prevent officials from collecting bribes and releasing the motorcycles back onto the streets. Instead, the impounded motorcycles would be crushed and sold to recycling companies, with the proceeds deposited into a government account.
“The decision to crush impounded Okada motorcycles reflects the government’s commitment to upholding the law, ensuring public safety, and minimizing security threats within the city centre. It also serves as a deterrent to both operators and potential buyers of these impounded motorcycles,” she explained further.
She concluded by saying that the recent operation to impound and crush illegal commercial motorcycles in Abuja’s city centre is a clear demonstration of the FCTA’s determination to enforce the ban on Okada operations in designated areas.
