Protest In Abuja As Wike’s Men Crush 470 Motorcycles

In a bid to prevent their siezed motorcycles from being crushed on Thursday, frustrated commercial motorcyclists in many parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) attacked and threw stones at members of a joint task force appointed by the FCT minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike.

The Joint task force comprising of men from the DRTS, Police, Civil Defence, DSS and the military, immediately repelled the protesters with shots of teargas canisters.

To firmly establish their dominance, the joint task force further chased the assailant into Gosa community while ensuring that the unlucky ones who were caught in the process return to their homes with bruises and swollen faces or worsestill, end up in the clinics.

Over 470 motorcycles were impounded in an exercise that started from the popular car wash bus stop in Lugbe, combing through Gosa, Bill Clinton drive, Trademore estate, Lugbe junction as well as the Kubwa and it’s environs.

Addressing journalists before the seized motorcycles were crushed at Area 1 round about, the Secretary, Transportation Secretariat, Nya Ubokutom, warned commercial motorcyclists to strictly limit their operations to the areas designated for them.

He explained that the Administration’s desire to develop a smart city devoid of all sorts of pollution cannot be achieved if illegalities are allowed to pervade the Federal Capital City.

Director, FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Abdulateef Bello said apart from the city centre, commercial motorcyclists are not allowed to operate on any of the territory’s highways noting that the administration is determined to rid the entire FCT roads of okada operators.

He further warned that one of the strategies to be deployed towards eliminating commercial motorcyclists from FCT roads is arresting passengers who patronise the business.

The operation also witnessed situations where untargeted members of the society became victims due to panic or accident.

In some horrific situations, passengers were left seriously injured while one was seen laying almost unconscious after the escaping okada rider flung him across the road at Lugbe junction.

Similarly, food vendors and passer-bys took to their heels at Galadimawa round about on sightings the intimidating joint task force team as they arrived to carry out their operation.

• Yusuf Oketola