By Aondoakaa Sunday
Can you abandon your house because someone died inside? The question above is coming from Nigerians to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, over the obviously abandoned Nyanya motor park where bombs were detonated last year, claiming and injuring many lives.
Since the bomb attack of April 14, 2014 in which over 14 lives were lost, the Nyanya motor park where the sad event took place has remained closed. Prior to the attack, the place was being used by both the Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company Limited (AUMTCO), and self employed commercial drivers. But after the attack, the park was closed down by the authorities. It was closed because the security agencies were investigating the attack, it was reported.
It is getting close to a year now since the motor park was isolated and the question is, how long does it take for such an investigation to be efficiently carried out and concluded? That, Nigerians have not been told. Is the investigation still on going? Superficially, yes, since the presence of military men and other security agencies is still visible as Nigerians walk by.
However, many residents have the belief that no investigation had been ongoing concerning the the attacks. This, they believe, is due to the fact that, the ‘prime suspect’ of the attack, Mr. Sadiq Aminu Ogwuche, was acquitted by a Federal High Court in Abuja on November 24, 2014 on the ground of no evidence to prove that the he committed the crime.
Is it that investigations are being carried out on another suspect that has been discovered but not uncovered to Nigerians? If there are no tenable reasons for the prolonged closure of the motor park then, Nigerians are being unjustifiably ignored, especially, the commercial transport workers, who, prior to the attack were making a living there.
In a bid by Blueprint to find out the views of Nigerians concerning the prolonged closure of the motor park, Nigerians expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which the matter is being handled by those in the authority. Many of them complained that, they are unnecessarily being denied of their right to know the reason behind the prolonged closure as it affects their daily activities.
A commercial, Mr. Boyo Olache, is stated that even though they (commercial drivers) have been relocated, the new place is not suitable for the purpose because the space is not wide enough.
Initially, he said, vehicles coming from Keffi to Jikwoyi-Karu axis would just drive over the overhead bridge at Nyanya to Karu and Jikwoyi, but now, because the road connecting vehicles coming from Keffi to the overhead bridge is closed, they have no option but to drive down to Karu overhead bridge in order to access Jikwoyi and Karu.
This is also contributing to the heavy traffic congestion been faced by commuters daily.
Indeed, it would be unreasonable for one to abandon his house because somebody once died there. Therefore, it is high time that those in authority act more responsibly concerning the motor park which has now been turned into a ‘memorial ground’ as Nigerians are fervently hoping to see the park revived back to its vibrant state because the isolated park also brings back traumatic memories to some people who lost their loved ones on that fateful day, of which, they are supposed to take heart and move on with their lives.
