FCTA Announces Intention to Crush Impounded Vehicles That Failed Integrity Tests

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has revealed its plan to crush a portion of the more than 130 impounded vehicles that did not pass integrity tests. Dr Abdulateef Bello, the Director of the Department of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), made this announcement during a press tour of the impounded vehicles across various offices in Abuja on Monday.

Bello emphasized that these vehicles would undergo standard verification processes, including checks for registration, roadworthiness, and other criteria. Any vehicles found falling below the minimum standards would face the crushing machine. Moreover, owners of some impounded vehicles would be summoned to mobile courts and subjected to penalties in accordance with the law.

“Some of the vehicles that are here; some of the owners will be made to face mobile courts, that will decide the kind of penalties to be given to them. But there are some that definitely will not go back to the road. We are going to invite the owners. We will ask them to pick whatever is valuable in the vehicles, and the vehicles will be crushed,” explained Bello.

He also highlighted that individuals arrested for criminal activities under the guise of commercial operations would be handed over to the police for prosecution. The crackdown comes after a surge in impoundments over the last two weeks, with 130 vehicles seized during evening raids.

Bello justified the operation, stating, “The idea is to ensure that we return the city back to sanity; to remove all traces of insecurity and then to ensure seamless traffic flow in the capital city. This is an assignment that we have taken upon us in line with the vision of the current administration, to guarantee zero tolerance for insecurity in the FCT.”

The DRTS director affirmed that operations would persist until all substandard vehicles associated with criminal activities were eradicated from the city. Additionally, he highlighted the DRTS’s efforts to curb criminality related to “one chance” incidents, urging taxi operators to conduct their businesses within designated parks rather than on the roads.

Residents were advised against patronizing taxis and other vehicles operating outside authorized parks to ensure both safety and adherence to regulations.