
Ebonyi State has has shut illegal motor parks as part of the measures to check movement of arms and ammunition in the state.
Barrister Onyekachi Nwebonyi,the Commissioner for Capital City Development, Barr Onyekachi,said hoodlums and criminals hide their arms in such unserviceable vehicles parked along the streets.
Speaking at a joint press briefing, the Commissioner and the state Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Chief Anthony Ewa,said that the decision to shutdown the illegal parks followed the rising insecurity in the country.
“The Ministry of Capital City Development, Ebonyi State, has directed that all loading and offloading of vehicles within the state capital should only take place in approved public and private motor parks. This is in a bid to check movement of arms and ammunition, as well as criminal elements in and out of the state, as undercover security and precautionary measures are being put in place to avert further security breaches in the state.To this end, all illegal and private motor parks not expressly approved by the Ministry of Capital City Development are hereby closed”.
They noted that any person found contravening the order will be treated as a security threat and prosecuted accordingly.
“Motorists and travelers are advised to adhere strictly to the directive. Passengers boarding commercial vehicles or alighting from such vehicles at unauthorized places, that is, any place other than the approved public and private parks, will be arrested alongside the drivers”.
“Any vehicle parked along the aforementioned roads, whether serviceable or unserviceable will be confiscated by the Ministry of Capital City Development and the owners prosecuted accordingly.It is important to note that parking of heavy duty vehicles along the street in the capital city is highly prohibited. No truck, lorry, or any form of articulated vehicle is expected to park along the streets for whatever reason. Any such vehicle found along the road or street will be confiscated and the owner or driver prosecuted. Government has designated parks for all forms of commercial and industrial vehicles in the state”.