… Deny alleged extortion against police
By Stanley Onyekwere
Three weeks after the deadly car bomb blast that killed at least 75 people, at the High Capacity and Minimal Bus Terminal, Nyanya, Abuja, the management of the park has commenced the release of abandoned cars, motorcycles and others to their owners.
People’s Daily reports, that following the bomb blast, several people including inter and intra state transport operators ran away for safety, leaving their properties behind within the vicinity of the park, which was immediately barricaded with security no crossing ribbon.
However, when our reporter visited the area on Monday, some officials of Isyak Nagode Entreprises, the managers of the park, in conjunction with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Jaiz bank, were seen compiling and attending to some people seeking the release of their abandoned property within the vicinity of the park.
Head of Operation and Task force, Isyaka Nagode Entreprises, Salisu Muktari, said the Special Assistant on security to the FCT minister, has given a directive to the Management of the park, to commence the release of property within the vicinity of the part to dully identified owners, which the FCT commissioner of Police is also aware of.
On the procedure for the recovery of properties within the vicinity of the park, he said: “anyone claiming ownership of anything at the park would be required to take photograph with the property in question, and upon submission alongside with documentary evidence, showing that the said property belongs to him or her, then the property would be released to the person.
“When you must have taken a photograph with your property, you intend to recover from the park, you write to the park management attaching it with a paper evidence to prove that a given property belongs to you; then you pick your property and go.”
On the allegation against the police in the area for allegedly extorting money from those reclaiming their motorcycles, he said; “no one pays anything before recovery any property at the park, how can somebody be telling you to pay money.”
Similarly, the Operational manager, transport and investment, Trade Union Congress (TUC), one of the FCT Administration’s license operators, Benjamin Enema, said all the things that they left there are still the way they were as at the time the blast occurred.
According to him, when they approached the park management to claim their respective properties that are within the vicinity of the park, they were surprised to discover that everything was in order.
Corroborating what the position of the park management official on the alleged extortion, he said: “where there was damage and loss of lives in a place such as this one, there is nothing like that.
“But actually I would rather appreciate and commend Nigeria security agencies especially the Nigeria Police, for all their efforts putted together to make sure that all the properties inside the park remains secured.
“They (the police) have remained at the park since when the incident happened – watching over the park 24 hours- doing their best to protect our interest; and there is no negative issue or dirty dealing regarding the handling of our belongings there; so I really appreciate their effort so far.
“What we are doing is that, were commending ourselves and giving God thanks, for making it possible for us to be alive today, so all of us are happy, and everybody is busy removing his or her property.”
Enema, stressed that since when the incident happened, the company has informed its employees to be security conscious while discharging their duty, as well as to providing all the security agencies with information about anything strange around the park, so that they can take the necessary action.
On his part, a driver, who gave his name as Michael, told People’s Daily that sometime last week when he returned to the park to seek the release of his vehicle parked inside the place, he was informed to bring the particulars of the car, a passport and a photograph taken with the affected vehicles.
“I met some officials of the management of the park, who told me that if I want to reclaim my property within the vicinity of the park, there is the need for presentation of some documentary evidence and some other materials, to prove ownership of any property.
“Everything they asked me to do, I have done so, but they told me to report back today (Monday) for the actual release of my vehicle and other properties to the rightful owners”, he said.
