The city of Abuja is, indeed, a modern one, reflecting development-in-progress as Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The territory is subdivided into six Area Councils, being of equal status to Local Governments in Nigeria.
The Government of Nigeria that muted and executed the movement of the seat of power from Lagos to Abuja must have considered the distorted and congestive state of Lagos being the erstwhile Federal Capital.
The city of Abuja is privileged to have emerged in advanced era of technology and electronic devices that could be used to track, plan, control crime and criminality but such is being obstructed and most often, unimplemented due to decay in our institutions and endemic corruption of security and relevant personnel. Those are the ones entrusted with enforcement in order to have a seamless and low crime modern city.
Road networks and urban planning of Abuja should have been one of the best in Africa but, the menace of lawless road users being encouraged by criminally minded traffic enforcers have remained a cankerworm and destroyers of the good dream of developing Abuja into one of the most beautiful cities in Africa.
Security enforcers and road managers cutting across the police traffic departments, Vehicle Inspection Officers, (VIO) Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) are culpable in encouraging and clogging the wheel of progress to the sanitization of Abuja from criminal and criminalities.
Most flashpoints of traffic violations such as beating traffic lights, plying of One-Ways are being selectively “enforced.” The enforcement is often made on cash induced basis. In fact, such situation is often not the type that can deter traffic offenders.
If you are a “big man” or “big madam” and drive around area such as Rita Lori junction along Ahmadu Bello Way through to dead end of Gudu Market and you beat the traffic light, all you need to do is to part with crispy Naira notes for traffic enforcers who would just counsel, threaten and or intimidate you about having your vehicle impounded. At the end, you would be allowed a soft landing from all such threats after corruptly greasing the palm of the officers. Most of the culprits in this lawlessness are drivers of rickety commercial vehicles, as well as delivery riders.
All such lawlessness and bribe taking are done by officers who obviously don’t mind whose ox is gored, and in what looks like a synergy amongst the traffic wardens and the FRSC patrol team.
These law officers, at the alter of what they corruptly gain from such outing, do overlook breach of traffic light, none use of seatbelts, hyper overloading of vehicles, over expired and life threatening, time bomb worn out Tyres.
Grateful for the recent court ruling against the lawless activities of VIOs, a department that is completely enmeshed in corrupt practices.
Apo bridge is another dangerous spot where you encounter chaotic display of lawless NAPEP riders and unofficial non gazetted, one-chance-like “enforcers” who are good at snatching car keys from innocent motorists for parking to drop relatives, or family members.
Still under the watchful eyes of Police, you sometimes innocently fall victim to their harassment and extortion.
It must be stressed that impunity, recklessness of commercial road users and traffic violations are destroying the traffic architecture of Abuja metropolis as a result of selective enforcement, motivated and encouraged by corrupt infractions of the enforcers. These enforcers, seem to be officially operating without adequate supervision and accountability by the relevant Government institutions.
Abuja city should be made to enjoy a seamless and less criminal activity in terms of traffic system. Relevant institutions should rise to address the growing corruption trends in the city, brooking no sacred cow or selective enforcement of traffic offenders..
In the word of Robert Kennedy: “Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on.”
Let there be equity in our justice system and in implementation as well as enforcement.
Mr. Emmanuel is a Public Affairs Analyst, and wrote in from Abuja
Email: oohinoyi@yahoo.com
