Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has announced a permanent ban on commercial tricycles, locally known as Keke Napep, and motorcycles, called Okada, from operating within the Abuja city centre. The declaration came during the minister’s monthly media briefing in the capital on Tuesday.
Wike stated the decision followed a security council meeting where authorities concluded that the vehicles pose a significant threat to public safety, beyond constituting a public nuisance. “Just this morning I signed the approval because we had a security council meeting where we agreed that they don’t just cause a nuisance but for the issue of security, it has become a threat,” he said.
The minister directed security agencies to identify specific zones where the ban would be enforced, though he acknowledged the difficulty of implementing a total prohibition across the entire federal capital territory. The restriction targets the dense urban core where congestion and security incidents linked to the operators have been most frequent.
In a related directive, Wike said his administration would also move to clear destitutes and beggars from the capital’s streets. He explained that the government lacks the resources to provide permanent shelter and argued that doing so would create a pull factor for migrants from surrounding states.
“We are working that out and just need approval to raise logistics,” Wike said. “Even destitutes, beggars are all over the place. Each time we take them out they come in again. Some people say why not provide where they would be staying? How would we continue to be doing that, it means we are encouraging people to leave Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, and Kaduna; how can you fund that?”
The dual announcement signals a broader urban renewal and security strategy for Nigeria’s capital. Residents and commuters have long raised concerns over the unregulated operations of tricycle and motorcycle taxis, citing reckless driving, traffic obstruction, and their use in criminal getaways. Previous attempts to regulate or restrict the operators have faced pushback from unions and low-income earners who rely on them for affordable transport.
The latest measures are expected to take effect immediately in designated areas. The FCT Administration has not yet released a detailed enforcement timetable or alternative transport provisions for affected commuters. Security agencies are expected to begin mapping out the restricted zones in the coming days.
