By Prevail Inegbenose
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has approved the enforcement of restrictions on the operations of commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke Napep) within the Abuja city centre, citing growing security concerns.
FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, disclosed the decision on Tuesday during a media parley at his official residence in Life Camp, Abuja, saying the approval followed deliberations by the FCT Security Council.
According to the Minister, security agencies have been directed to identify and map out areas within the city where the operations of Okada and Keke Napep will be prohibited as part of efforts to strengthen security and maintain public order.
Wike explained that the decision was informed by security considerations rather than traffic management, noting that the activities of commercial motorcycles and tricycles have increasingly become a threat in some parts of the capital.
He, however, clarified that the restriction would not apply across the entire Federal Capital Territory, acknowledging that residents in satellite towns still rely heavily on the services of the operators for transportation.
The Minister also revealed that security operatives have continued to dismantle illegal settlements and criminal hideouts in locations including Karmajiji in the Kukwaba District as part of broader measures to improve security across the territory.
On public safety, Wike said the FCTA had constituted a committee to address the growing menace of car racing in residential areas, stressing that the administration would not tolerate activities capable of endangering the lives of residents.
Beyond security, the Minister disclosed that the FCTA expects to complete the relocation of Apo Mechanic traders to the Wasa District before the end of the year.
He said infrastructure at the new site had been completed, while discussions were ongoing to finalize a Memorandum of Understanding that would preserve the government’s regulatory oversight.
Wike also urged residents who obtained land allocations through Area Councils to regularize their titles with the FCTA in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling vesting authority over all FCT lands in the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
He reiterated the administration’s commitment to urban renewal, saying redevelopment plans were underway for facilities such as the Life Camp Recreation Centre and Jabi Lake Recreational Park through partnerships with the private sector, while assuring residents that ongoing infrastructure projects would continue to receive adequate funding through the administration’s cash-backed contract policy.