By Muhammad Tanimu, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Commissioner (CP), Bala Ciroma has tasked men and officers of the police force to shun corruption and any form of corruption while discharging their civic responsibilities. He said ‘if you compromise and you are captured on camera, you will have yourself to blame’.
The CP who was represented by the DC Sunday Babaji gave this task while charging police personnel on special duty on enforcement of ban of Okada riders on the high way in the city centre, ” let us not be seen as compromising, like asking an Okada man to give you money to allow him enter the express. It is not good for our own image. Try to shun corruption and be disciplined .
We are in a digital world, if you do it and you are captured on camera, you will have yourself to blame.
He, however, urged them to achieve zero tolerance to Okada coming to the express way.
Ciroma further stated that, the assignment given to the enforcement team is simple: just for you to stop Okada from plying the Shehu Musa Yar’dua express way and nothing more.
His words:”The first three days is not going to be confrontational, we are going to sensitize them on the reason why the Okada riders should vacate the express way leading to the Airport.
“If visitors coming into Nigeria for the first time, see such things, the impression they will have about us as a nation is not good. When you go outside the country, you dare not beat the traffic light or do otherwise but the reverse is the case here”, he lamented.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Director , FCT VIO, Mr Dele Yaro said they are here to sensitize Okada riders against driving on the high way and driving against the traffic which is quite prominent on this axis.
“We have accidents, road crashes on this axis because of Okada riders driving against the traffic . Mainly, this 566 motorcycle are not supposed to be on the high way , they are supposed to be on the streets feeding the main road with passengers but most of them will like to be on the high way to pick passengers thereby causing confusion. This is what we want to abolish.
“The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello is not happy about this, because this is the major way to the city of Abuja; it looks like there is no law in this country but we have laws, people coming into the country for the first time will think there is no law but there is law in this country. That is what we want to establish.
“We are here with Okada chairman to sensitize them and ensure that the policies are established and adhered strictly to.We have visited six points but we are going to establish 23 points”, he added.
Similarly, the Field Coordinator, FCT Special Ministerial Committee on transportation and public nuisances , Mr. Olumiji Peter hinted that, they have been on this operations for months, and did it successffuly in Kubwa, as the enssence is to ensure that critical stakeholders are brought on board.
He added that the Airport road is peculiar because it is the face of the FCT and Nigeria and we would not want people to continuously disregard traffic rules and regulations.
Peter further stated that they are doing the sensitization phase of the enforcement.
Also, CSP Lamido Alkali in charge of Administration and Operations said they have come to inform Okada riders to adhere strictly to the information passed to them, and not to take the laws into their hands.
However, the Chairman Okada Riders Association, Mr. Kabiru Muhammed assured the committee members that his union members will comply fully to the rules and regulations guiding the highway laws.