Residents Laud FCTA Over Clamp Down on “One-Chance” Operators

By: Wisdom Acka

FCT residents have commended the FCT Administration for relentless raids against persons, who engage in “one chance” criminal activity in Abuja.

Individuals and diverse groups made the commendation over the weekend during clamp down on ‘one chance operators’, illegal motor parks and motorists who engage in illegal parking around the city.

One of the residents, Aminu Usman, who disclosed that he had once fallen victim of their activities, described the exercise as a “welcome development”; stressing that the efforts would ensure safety of public transportation in the city.

“One of my friends was also a victim when he entered a taxi from Gwarinpa to AYA, only for the operators to take him somewhere else and collected all his valuables and money.

“This initiative will significantly address the menace of one chance operators and encourage residents to board taxis at designated motor parks where they can make complaints when they are shortchanged”, he said.

Another resident, Josephine Michael, said that the efforts to rid the city of one chance operators would make residents feel safe and secured.

“I am always afraid whenever I want to board a vehicle in the city, particularly at night because I do not want to enter the wrong taxi and end up with one chance,” she said.

“I really commend the FCTA for taking the bold step to ensure that residents feel safe whenever they need to take a taxi”, she added.

Secretary, FCTA Taskforce’s Command and Control Unit, Peter Olumuji, who led the exercise said that the taskforce has been clamping down on illegal motor parks in the last few weeks.

He explained: “One chance operators operate discreetly among motorists operating in illegal motor parks. We realised that when we dislodged illegal motor parks, the operations of one chance syndicates significantly is reduced.”

“This is because, most of the one chance activities are done through unpainted taxis operating illegal motor parks and that is why we have been going after them”, he noted.

Olumuji while advising residents against boarding unpainted taxis in undesignated motor parks so as not to become victims, warned the criminal elements to desist from the acts because his men would continue with the exercise.

On her part, Head of Operations, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Deborah Osho, disclosed that over 30 vehicles were impounded for illegal parking and operating in illegal motor parks.

She further revealed that more than 100 vehicles have been impounded from different parts of the city since Operation Clean Abuja began few weeks ago.