The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Monday arraigned no fewer than 34 traffic offenders before the mobile court as intensive enforcement of traffic rules began in the territory.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, the director of FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Mr. Wadata Bodinga, stated that the enforcement would continue until motorists abide by traffic rules and regulations in the territory.
He also said fines ranging from N30, 000 to N40, 000 were being imposed on the offenders, after subjecting them to psychiatric test before their trial before the FCT mobile court.
He said: “We started the operation on Ahmadu Bello way and transcended to Ondo filling station at Gwarimpa and all the way to Gudu and our personnel have been stationed on all the intersections where some traffic lights are not working to ensure traffic control.
“The operation is basically successful with some little challenges that had to do with the people that resisted arrest.
“We have only one case of someone who tried to run with our officer and along the line, there was a minor road accident but fortunately for us, nobody got injured.
“The person has since been remanded at Kuje Prison because of his act and deliberate dangerous driving and intention to abduct our officer.
“So far, about 34 cases have been referred to mobile court and fined after they were found guilty and about 16 cases are being evaluated and tomorrow they will be arraigned before the mobile court.
“And the operation will continue and will be intensified until order is restored in the FCT, ” Bodinga added.
On her part, acting director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Dr Jumai Ahmadu, said the operation was necessitated by a matching order from the highest body in the country.
Ahmadu said the FCT minister, the minister of state and permanent secretary, took the assignment seriously adding that “it doesn’t matter who you are, once you are arrested, you will be subjected to psychiatric test and be made to face the law.
“No normal human being will beat traffic. So, we need to check the state of mental stability and when that is done, you now face the law and offenders will pay for their mental evaluation.”
