Headline:
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has warned commercial transport operators to immediately relocate from illegal motor parks and roadside loading points to designated bus terminals or risk having their vehicles impounded.
The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Transportation Secretariat, Chinedum Elechi, gave the warning on Thursday during a press briefing in Abuja, saying the era of indiscriminate loading and parking of commercial vehicles across the nation’s capital had come to an end.
“The days of everybody doing what they like in the FCT are over,” Elechi declared.
He said all unauthorised loading points across the Federal Capital Territory would be shut down as part of the FCT Minister’s directive to restore order, improve security and build a modern public transportation system.
According to him, commercial transport operators had already been directed to relocate their operations to the newly constructed bus terminals, beginning with the Mabushi terminal.
“This enforcement exercise is part of the FCT Minister’s directive to restore order, strengthen security and build a modern and well-organised transportation system in Abuja,” he said.
Elechi noted that the FCTA had invested billions of naira in constructing modern bus terminals in Mabushi, Kugbo and the Central Business District, describing the facilities as the first of their kind in the FCT.
He explained that beyond improving the city’s appearance, the relocation of transport operators to designated terminals would help tackle criminal activities, including “one chance” robberies, illegal drug trafficking and the movement of illicit weapons.
“Relocating transport operations to approved bus terminals is not just about making Abuja look better. It will also help reduce crimes such as ‘one chance’ robberies and curb the movement of illegal drugs and weapons,” he said.
The mandate secretary recalled that a recent enforcement exercise led to the seizure of more than 100 vehicles operating from illegal parks after operators ignored several quit notices.
He disclosed that security officials recovered suspicious and illegal items from some of the impounded vehicles, adding that profiling transport operators at approved terminals would significantly enhance security across the territory.
Elechi stressed that the FCTA was not seeking to deprive transport operators of their means of livelihood but to ensure they operated in safer and better-regulated environments.
“This exercise is not meant to take away anyone’s livelihood. Our goal is to move operators from unsafe roadside locations to modern and secure bus terminals. Unfortunately, despite repeated warnings and the release of previously impounded vehicles, many operators keep returning to illegal loading points,” he said.
He expressed disappointment that many operators resumed illegal operations shortly after signing undertakings to comply with the regulations following the release of their vehicles.
The FCTA boss warned that private premises converted into illegal motor parks would be sealed, while vehicles operating from such locations would be confiscated in line with the FCT Transportation Regulations 2023 and other relevant laws.
He said the regulations empower the Transportation Secretariat to license transport operators, seal illegal parks and impound vehicles used in violation of the law.
