Abuja residents have raised concerns over the FCT’s unregulated and poor transportation system and urged the federal government to weed out unregistered transporters.

A civil servant, Remilekun Adeoye, said it was a serious security concern that the FCTA and security agencies were allowing private vehicles to transport commuters without permits.

“This development could endanger lives as it is now difficult to identify genuine drivers from criminals intending to rob or kidnap. Though the incidence of traffic robbers, locally called ‘one-chance’, has reduced drastically in the territory, this emerging challenge may create new security issues,” she added.

Ikenna Opara, a timber trader at Kugbo Timber Market, said that Abuja, the nation’s capital city, ought to have a properly regulated transportation system.

“It is unfortunate that the Federal Government, most especially the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), seems to have no interest in ensuring a standardised transportation system,” Mr Opara explained. “The problem is not peculiar to Abuja alone, but getting the transport system right in the FCT would inspire states to follow suit. The federal government should complete the Abuja metro rail line and sanction the use of unregistered vehicles for commercial transportation.”

A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Isah Yusuf, noted that when he was growing up, the only taxis “you would see on the road in Abuja are the green, white, and green painted taxis.”

Mr Yusuf added, “There were no buses or `agberos’ (touts) allowed, but now Lagos seems to be even more regulated in terms of transportation, which is unfortunate. I really don’t know if the FCT Minister and his team don’t see these things or they just look away because they don’t look forward to having that beautiful Abuja we used to know.”

(NAN)