Abuja’s newly built roads may have improved movement, but the FCT administration says they will not become unofficial racetracks.
Minister Nyesom Wike has ordered action against illegal car racing in residential neighbourhoods in Abuja, warning that reckless drivers put residents and other road users at risk. The administration plans to increase patrols, monitor reported hotspots and use its traffic enforcement agencies to keep high-speed racing away from homes and other populated areas.
FCT Moves to Tighten Road Safety Enforcement
Wike issued the warning on Monday while inspecting ongoing projects and responding to reports of organised racing and dangerous driving across the capital. He said some motorists were taking advantage of improved roads to drive recklessly through residential communities.
Public safety, he stressed, must come before any driver’s desire to enjoy the roads’ The FCT Traffic Management Department will now strengthen enforcement and stop motorists from racing through neighbourhoods.
No formal petition has identified the affected locations, but that will not delay action. Traffic officers and law enforcement agencies are expected to monitor suspected hotspots, increase patrols and respond to reports from residents.
Motorsport enthusiasts were also advised to use designated racing facilities or approved areas away from homes. Although Wike suggested that highway driving may receive different treatment, the administration’s immediate focus remains organised racing that puts residents at risk or disrupts communities.
The warning adds another automobile-related issue to Abuja’s recent news cycle. Days earlier, a man reportedly drove away with a Mercedes-Benz after posing as a buyer during a test drive. Police tracked and arrested the suspect three days later, showing that coordinated enforcement can identify and apprehend offenders.
Wike’s latest directive now brings that enforcement focus to illegal street racing and road safety.
Imo Street Racing Crash Kills 19-Year-Old and Injures Pedestrians
Fresh attention has turned to illegal street racing after a driver allegedly killed a 19-year-old boy and injured other pedestrians outside Imo State University in Owerri.
The Imo State Police Command said the crash happened on Sunday night when 30-year-old Chibuike Dike allegedly raced another vehicle near the university’s front gate. Police spokesperson Henry Okoye said Dike lost control of a Lexus ES 350 while driving at excessive speed and struck Chibuike Friday as he crossed the road.
The vehicle also hit pedestrians walking nearby, leaving several people injured. Officers from the Orji Police Division responded to a distress call, arrested the driver and rescued him from an angry crowd at the scene.
Emergency responders took the victims to hospital, where doctors confirmed Friday dead. Another victim, Bright Ukwuoma, remained under medical care. Authorities deposited Friday’s body at a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
The Imo Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, condemned the incident and ordered the state traffic department to investigate the immediate and underlying causes of the crash. The police said prosecutors would charge the suspect after investigators complete their work.
