THE National Orientation Agency (NOA) says kidnappers and ritualists are exploiting unauthorised motor parks across the country to trap unsuspecting passengers.
The Director of NOA in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Danchadi said this at the opening of a three-day workshop on “Standardisation and Management of Motor Parks in Nigeria’’ in Sokoto on Wednesday.
The theme of the workshop is: “Towards Improving the Standard and Management of Motor Parks’’.
The workshop was organised by the agency in collaboration with ITEC Consultancy Services.
“Kudos to Sokoto State Government for centralising and sanitising motor parks in the metropolis.
“However, this should be extended to the local government areas, as well as urgently replicated across Nigeria.
“This will help in no small measure to curtail the unhealthy behaviours of kidnappers, ritualists and other criminals, which pose formidable threats to national security.’’
Danchadi noted that before now, motor parks had been neglected or underutilised, while their management were left in the hands of “touts and those who do not have thorough knowledge to manage them effectively.’’
According to him, some drivers take hard drugs and alcohol before embarking on a journey, thus endangering their lives and innocent commuters.
“The workshop will among other things, raise the security consciousness of the stakeholders in the transport sector from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States,’’ Danchadi said.
Earlier, the Director of ITEC Consultancy Services, Mr Ademola Abdulwahab said the workshop was organised to ensure that motor parks in the three states operated in line with global standards.
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