The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has crushed 601 commercial motorcycles impounded for operating in restricted areas within Abuja, citing security concerns and persistent traffic violations.
The exercise, led by the FCTA Mandate Secretary for Transportation, Elechi Chinedum, and the Director of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Abdulateef Bello, took place at a designated site in the capital city.
Chinedum emphasized that the action was backed by law, referencing the 2023 FCT Regulation signed by former minister Muhammad Bello, which bans the use of commercial motorcycles in specific areas of the city.
“We are enforcing a standing law. Initially, the restriction was for aesthetic purposes—to maintain the city’s image—but it has now become a security imperative,” he stated.
According to Chinedum, the growing use of motorcycles in criminal activities has heightened the need for strict enforcement.
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DRTS Director Bello described the operation as a routine measure to uphold the city’s traffic laws and deter crime. “This ban, which started in 2006, is being strengthened as we now face serious security challenges involving commercial motorcyclists,” he explained.
He warned investors and operators to reconsider their involvement in the motorcycle transport business within Abuja, stating that all impounded bikes forfeited by court orders would be permanently destroyed.
“This is just the first phase this year. We will continue this exercise to ensure compliance and safety in the FCT,” Bello said.