The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday impounded 69 vehicles for various offences as part of its continued efforts to make Abuja city safe and clean.

The vehicles were impounded by the FCT combined Security Task Force at different locations in the federal capital, Abuja.

Mr Abdulatef Bello, Director FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Service (DRTS), said that the seizures were in continuation of operations to clean the city of illegal operators of commercial vehicles.

This, according to him, is to improve the security of lives and properties in Abuja.

Bello explained that the vehicles were impounded for offences such as wrong parking, operating ricketier vehicles, number plate violation, and vehicles suspected to belong to one chance operators among others.

He said that the FCT Administration would not rest in its effort to ensure the city was clean from all kinds of nuisance.

He added that the owners of the impounded vehicles would be prosecuted by FCT Mobile Court sitting on the premises of the DRTS.

The director said that three of the vehicle owners, suspected to be one-chance operators, would be handed over to the police for prosecution.

He attributed the high number of casualties of one-chance operators to the ineffectiveness of the mass transportation system in the city.

Displaying a sharp object seized from one of the suspected one-chance operators, the Secretary, Command and Control Unit, FCTA, Mr Peter Olumuji, said the administration was working hard to curb the menace.

Olumuji advised road users to patronise only painted taxis for their own safety, adding that efforts were ongoing to address the transportation deficit in the city.

Also speaking, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, Director, Department of Development Control, FCTA, equally blamed the high rate of criminalities in the FCT on indiscipline.

Galadima said that FCTA would continue to sensitize road users on the need to be extra careful when using taxis so as not to become victims of one-chance operators.

He particularly advised residents against patronising unpainted taxis or those without number plates. (NAN)