The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has impounded 40 commercial vehicles for operating outside the newly inaugurated Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminal as it steps up enforcement against illegal roadside motor parks in Abuja.
The enforcement exercise, carried out by the FCTA Enforcement Taskforce, targeted commercial vehicles operating around the Utako axis despite a directive requiring operators to relocate to the Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminal.
Speaking after the operation on Friday, Secretary of the Command and Control Centre of the FCTA Security Services Department, Dr Peter Olumuji, said the vehicles were impounded between Wednesday and Friday for violating the directive issued by the FCT Transport Secretariat.
He recalled that the Transport Secretariat announced the commencement of operations at the Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminal on June 21 and directed all ad hoc motor parks in the Utako and Banex areas to relocate to the facility on or before June 24.
Olumuji said the affected vehicle owners would be prosecuted and sanctioned in line with the extant traffic regulations guiding transport operations in the FCT.
He added that some individuals were detained by the police for allegedly obstructing officials during the enforcement exercise.
According to him, the operation is intended to compel all commercial transport operators to use designated terminals to improve safety, security and orderliness in the nation’s capital.
“The bus terminals were established to serve as clearing hubs for commuters within the FCT,” he said.
He said one of the major security benefits of the terminal is that authorities can identify and trace both drivers and vehicles operating from the facility.j
“The security benefit of the bus terminal is that whenever you board a vehicle, you are boarding a vehicle that is registered and you know the person driving it.
“The enforcement exercise will continue until 100 per cent compliance is achieved,” Olumuji stated.
Also speaking, an official of the FCT Transport Secretariat, Mr Usman Abdulmuminu, said the administration carried out extensive public sensitisation before beginning enforcement.
According to him, several notices were issued to commercial vehicle operators directing them to relocate to the Mabushi terminal, while radio and television jingles were aired to educate operators and commuters.
He said a significant number of transport operators had already complied with the directive, adding that the enforcement was also intended to notify residents that the terminal had become fully operational.
Meanwhile, the terminal operator, Planet Projects, said the facility was built to accommodate about 250 vehicles under a structured flow-through system.
The company’s Transport Planning Director, Mr Demola Olawepo, urged transport operators to use the facility, describing it as secure, organised and commuter-friendly.
He said the terminal was built to provide a safer and more convenient travel experience while eliminating the disorder associated with roadside motor parks.
The terminal’s General Manager of Operations, Mr Kolawale Babatunde, said operations officially began on July 1, with about 800 passengers and 130 vehicles processed within the first few days.
He described the take-off as seamless, saying the terminal offers facilities comparable to airport operations.
According to Babatunde, all transport operators using the terminal are registered and licensed by the government, making it easier for authorities to monitor activities and improve passenger security.
“We can trace everybody operating in the terminal. Unlike vehicles operating on the roadside, we have all the data of the operators, the vehicle and their registration numbers,” he said.
Some users of the facility also welcomed the initiative.
A commercial driver, Mr Abdulsalami Dada, said operators were already benefiting from the organised environment, adding that working from the terminal was better than operating on the roadside.
Passengers also expressed satisfaction with the services.
Ms Chioma Okoro, who was travelling to Kaduna, described the experience as pleasant, praising the professionalism of officials and the quality of the facilities.
Similarly, another passenger, Mr Adamu Emmanuel, said he completed his ticketing process in less than two minutes after paying with his bank card.
He described the process as efficient and significantly different from the delays and disorder often experienced at roadside motor parks, expressing support for the new transport system.
