'Unpainted taxis a security threat'

Abuja - Painted Abuja Taxi Nigeria Limited (PAT), said on Friday it
had an understanding with estate managers to allow painted taxis
access to their premises as unpainted taxis were security threats.
The Chairman of PAT, Alhaji Shehu Shugaba, made this known in an
interview in Abuja.
Shugaba, who said that the operation of unpainted taxis in   the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was illegal, explained that painted
taxis were safer to use because PAT had the biometric data of the
drivers and owners of the taxis in its databank.
According to him, the availability of the data of both driver and car
owner makes it easy to identify any of the vehicles when the need
arises.
"We have actually resolved with the Estate Managers to allow our
painted taxis to go into their premises because we are organised, we
also have our biometric data they captured and also same has been
submitted to the transport sector for easy identification.
"The problem of residents of FCT is that they like to patronise those
things that the government does not recognise.
"Those illegal operators we call `Kabu Kabu’ are not recognised at all
in FCT; they are a security threat to FCT and the residents of FCT.
"And that is why we appeal to commuters to patronise painted taxis
because they can be easily identified, we have their data here and we
also have their data with the government.
"We also have a side number written boldly on the side of the vehicle
so that if you board a vehicle what you need to do is just copy the side
number of the vehicle.
"If you have a problem and you call us, we will be able to get the
vehicle for you."
Shugaba said that FCT Administration recognised only five operators
of painted taxis with each operator having its own colour, code and
name for easy identification.
He identified the operators as Road Transport Employers Association
of Nigeria (RTEAN), Self Employed Commercial Drivers Association
(SECDA), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Painted
Abuja Taxi Nig. Ltd (PAT), and Heritage Nig. Ltd.
The chairman said that the essence of capturing the biometric data of
cab drivers was to tackle the incidence of  "one chance operators’’ and
guarantee the safety of commuters.
Shugaba warned that unpainted cabs could be very difficult to track
should the need arise.
He, therefore, appealed to commuters to patronise only painted cabs
to ensure the safety of their lives and property.