By Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku
Kalu Emetu, spokesman of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), also known as VIO has threatened to blacklist Alltimepost.com correspondent in Abuja, Nigeria over a story published by the online newspaper on January 10, 2022, on endemic corruption at the DRTS.
There has been confusion, following reports on the purported sack or redeployment of Mr. Wadata, the Agency’s director after the publication.
While some media reported that Mr. Wadata has been out rightly sacked, others said he had been redeployed.
To get to the bottom of the matter, Alltimepost.com embarked on a fact-finding mission to the Mabushi office of the DRTS. We found that the former director had indeed handed over to the new helmsman, Mr. Abdulateef Bello, who formerly served as acting director in the Department of Security Services under the FCT Administration.
Inside sources told Alltimepost.com that Mr. Wadata had been redeployed to the Human resources department in the Federal Capital Territory (FCDA) in Abuja, in what appears to be a demotion.
Even though there was some talk within the DRTS that Mr. Abdulateef Bello, the new director is a ‘no-nonsense’ individual, we found the business of the DRTS running at full throttle.
Business centers, the market by the side of the DRTS, together with the POS operators continued with their business. Monies still changed hands at the ‘capturing’ department.
Alltimepost.com was told by our sources that since Mr. Bello took over as director of the DRTS, he has not made any changes.
“He has not made any public pronouncement, and appears to be studying the situation on ground,” our source said.
At the time of our visit, Mr. Kalu Emetu was not in his office, so our correspondent left his contact details in his office. When he called in much later at 4:47pm in Abuja last Thursday March 17 2022, Mr. Emetu denied that he had told Alltimepost correspondent that about 70 to 80 percent of the men of the DRTS were dirty and were involved in underhand practices that made the DRTS a nuisance in Abuja.
“What you published was not our discussion. It didn’t reflect our discussion in any way. I don’t work with correspondents like you; I wanted to see you personally and tell you my mind. I am too old in this profession and you are supposed to know me very well.
“When you think you can come and misrepresent me, you are making a serious mistake. As a professional, there are ethics which you are supposed to follow but your report was quite unethical,” Mr. Emetu said.
Our correspondent asked Mr. Kalu Emetu to do a rejoinder to the Alltimepost publication but he declined.
Background
On January 10, 2022, Alltimepost.com published the result of a 3-month long investigation titled: Inside Abuja VIO: How Corrupt Officials Engage Touts, Employ Other Tactics to Rob Motorists.
In that story, Alltimepost correspondent met Mr. Emetu Kalu on the first floor of the DRTS building, and inside his office. He said that even though the DRTS knew about some of the illegal activities, the DRTS appears overwhelmed to stop them
“We know that 80% of our staff are involved in illegal activities, but they are often prompted by applicants who don’t want to pass through the process…what do you want me to do about this?” he asked.
Below is according to the Alltimepost.com report of January 10, 2022:
We showed Mr. Emetu documents written in gibberish, from the Jabi VIO office, and asked why staff are collecting monies from applicants, and why they are forced to take 3rd Party insurance covers they are not interested in.
“There’s a lot of work to do sir, and we are usually in a rush to meet the needs of the applicants…do you have any proof that our staff collect monies from applicants without remitting same to the federal government?
“To get all your vehicle particulars is often a very rigorous process. Therefore, we decided to at least allow some of them operate around our premises, instead of applicants going back and forth to gather their documents,” Mr. Emetu said.
Prior to the Alltimepost report of January 10, 2022, there were several complaints from Abuja residents about underhand activities of the DRTS like the use of touts to do many dirty jobs.
Many were forced to pay monies into accounts unrelated to the Federal government Single Treasury Account. Yet others were forced to take 3rd Party Insurance covers they were not interested in.
Alltimepost.com has in its possession the names and phone numbers of at least twenty Abuja residents who were arrested at the Jabi DRTS office and extorted before their vehicles were released to them.
