The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has issued a warning to residents against patronizing cabs from unauthorized taxi parks in the nation’s capital. This warning comes in response to the recent public uproar against the escalation of criminal activities dubbed “One Chance”. The FCTA is taking this issue seriously and is working towards ensuring the safety of its residents.
The Director of the Department of Road Transport Service (DRTS), Abdulatef Bello, spoke to journalists after a clean-up exercise in Abuja. He said that the transportation secretariat has a plan to solve the insecurity challenges faced by road users, especially by ‘One Chance’ criminals.
‘One Chance’ is a criminal activity where people take advantage of the lack of effective mass transportation service in the city. They lure unsuspecting passengers into their vehicles and rob them of their valuables. Bello said that this business is driven by demand and supply, as people need vehicles to move from one place to another.
He said that the transportation secretariat will soon introduce new buses or taxis that will run commuter services. He also said that they have identified some critical areas that are red flag areas for ‘One Chance’ operations. These include the AYA junction and some parts of the Central Area where there is no transportation outlet.
He said that they have arrested four or five suspects with dangerous weapons, and their vehicles are in their custody. They will be handed over to the police for prosecution. He said that they will not rest until they fix the transportation issues and make Abuja safe for everyone.
He also advised people to patronize the recognized taxi ranks in the city, which are about 46 in number. He said that people who walk away to lonely areas to pick up taxis are more vulnerable to the ‘One Chance’ menace.
The FCT combined security taskforce impounded 69 commercial vehicles in different locations in the city center during the operation to clean the city of illegal operators. Bello said that the vehicles impounded committed various offenses, such as wrong parking, rickety vehicles, non-plate numbers, and ‘One Chance’ operations.
He said that the vehicles will be prosecuted by the FCT mobile court at the DRTS premises. He also said that three commercial vehicle operators suspected to be part of the ‘One Chance’ syndicate were arrested and will be handed over to the police for prosecution.
The Director of the FCT Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, attributed indiscipline as a major factor in the high rate of criminalities.