The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has impounded no fewer than 40 commercial vehicles for operating outside the newly inaugurated Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminal, as authorities intensify enforcement of regulations aimed at sanitising public transportation in Abuja.

Secretary of the Command and Control Centre, FCTA Security Services Department, Dr Peter Olumuji, disclosed this on Friday after leading an enforcement exercise in the Utako area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Olumuji said the vehicles were seized between Wednesday and Friday for violating the directive of the FCT Transport Secretariat, which requires all commercial transport operators previously using roadside parks around Utako and Banex to relocate to the Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminal.

The FCT Transport Secretariat had announced the commencement of operations at the terminal on June 21 and directed operators of all ad hoc motor parks in the affected areas to move into the facility on or before June 24.

According to Olumuji, the enforcement exercise is designed to ensure full compliance with the directive and improve safety, orderliness and security within the territory’s transport system.
He stated that owners of the impounded vehicles would be prosecuted and sanctioned in accordance with the extant traffic regulations, adding that some individuals who attempted to obstruct the exercise were arrested by the police.

“The enforcement exercise is to ensure that all commercial vehicles operate within the designated terminal for the safety of commuters.
“The security advantage of the bus terminal is that whenever you board a vehicle, you are entering one that is duly registered, with identifiable operators and drivers. The exercise will continue until we achieve 100 per cent compliance,” he said.

An official of the FCT Transport Secretariat, Mr Usman Abdulmuminu, said the administration had embarked on sustained public sensitisation before commencing enforcement.
He explained that several notices were issued to transport operators, while radio and television jingles were aired to create awareness about the commencement of operations at the terminal.
According to him, a significant number of commercial vehicle operators have already complied with the directive, while the ongoing enforcement is also intended to educate commuters on the availability of the new facility.

Also speaking, the Transport Planning Director of Planet Projects, the firm managing the terminal, Mr Demola Olawepo, said the facility has the capacity to accommodate about 250 vehicles at a time under an organised flow-through system.

He urged transport operators to utilise the terminal, describing it as a secure and well-organised facility designed to provide commuters with a safe, convenient and comfortable travel experience.
The General Manager, Operations, Mr Kolawale Babatunde, disclosed that operations officially commenced on July 1, adding that about 800 passengers and 130 vehicles had been processed within the first few days.

According to him, the terminal operates to international standards, with facilities and procedures comparable to those of modern airports.”The greatest benefit is passenger safety. Every operator using the terminal is duly registered and licensed by the government. We have complete records of the operators, their vehicles and registration details, unlike roadside operations,” he said.

Some users of the facility also commended the initiative. A commercial driver, Abdulsalami Dada, said operating from the terminal had significantly improved working conditions compared to roadside loading points. Similarly, a passenger travelling to Kaduna, Chioma Okoro, described the terminal as orderly and customer-friendly, praising the professionalism of the staff.
Another commuter, Adamu Emmanuel, said he completed his ticket purchase electronically in less than two minutes, describing the entire process as seamless and efficient.