TheCable

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says new buses and taxis will soon be rolled out for public transportation in Abuja.

Speaking on Tuesday when he met with estate developers in Abuja, Wike said the public transportation scheme will address the incidences of “one chance” operators in the FCT.

‘One chance’ is used to describe scenarios where criminals pose as commercial drivers or passengers to lure unsuspecting victims into their vehicles, and then dispossess them of their valuables.

Wike said the buses and taxis will be launched next month.

“I assure you that once the buses and taxis are on the roads, the problem of one chance will be a thing of the past,” he said.

“However, if you make the mistake of going to enter a taxi and a bus that is not our own, it is your problem.

“The buses and taxis will ply the routes of Maitama, Asokoro and other parts of the city.”

Wike also said once buses and taxis are introduced in the FCT, the operations of tricycles, also known as Keke NAPEP, will be prohibited.

He said no action was taken against the operations of tricycles before now because public buses and taxis were not on the roads as alternatives.

“I know some of you will say, oh, we are struggling. I know they are struggling to have something. I agree, but our interest is to protect our city,” he said.

“I will not because you are dying of hunger and allow people to die. I owe a duty to protect the people that are doing genuine businesses in our city.

“We could not take action without providing an alternative. Now that we have the alternative, we are not afraid to take that action. They should move to the rural areas.”