The Borno State Traffic Management Agency (BOTMA) says it registered about 25,000 tricycles and recruited 300 youths since its establishment in 2020 to boost traffic management and safer roads across the state.
This was disclosed by the General Manager of BOTMA, Baba Shehu Tijjani, in an interview with the Voice of Nigeria in Maiduguri.
Tijjani said the agency was established to address transportation management issues that had emerged from the increased use of tricycles popularly known as Keke NAPEP following the restriction on motorcycles over security concerns in the state.
The increasing dependence on tricycles has made it necessary to have a reliable system of registering and identifying owners and operators, he said.
“The growing dependence on Keke NAPEP necessitates a proper system of registering and identifying owners and operators,” Tijjani said.
He said the agency registered about 25,000 tricycles in operation in Jere and Maiduguri Local Government Areas.
“The registration database holds information on owners and operators, their residential areas and next of kin,” he said.
“The database has been useful in tracing lost property and supporting investigations into complaints and allegations involving tricycle operators,” Tijjani said.
“The database has been useful when a passenger reports losing something inside a tricycle, and in cases involving allegations against operators,” he said.
He said that the Borno State Government under Governor Babagana Umara Zulum further empowered the agency by approving the recruitment of 300 youths.
The recruits, he said, were trained in a police college before deployment and the government also gave operational vehicles to enhance their effectiveness.
“The recruitment has boosted our manpower and at the same time created jobs for our youths in the state,” he said.
Tijjani was optimistic that the continued improvement in the security situation would enable the government to recruit more personnel and extend the operations of BOTMA to more local government areas.
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He said the agency also generated revenue for the state and conducted regular media sensitization programs to educate residents on traffic regulations and responsible road use.
BOTMA had initial resistance from some members of the public because they did not understand its mandate, the General Manager admitted.
“Initially, we had difficulties because people did not understand us but gradually the public started to understand our work and cooperate with us,” he underlined.
He explained that traffic offenders were fined and required to make payment thru designated banks or the Borno State Board of Internal Revenue.
Tijjani said collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and Federal Road Safety Corps is key to the agency’s operations.
Legislative Support, Challenges
The general manager said interference by passengers during enforcement operations and attempts by some persons to use personal connections to evade traffic laws are major challenges.
“Social status and connections should not be an excuse for breaking traffic laws,” he said.
Tijjani said the Borno State House of Assembly Committee on Transportation had recently paid a visit to the agency, and commended the agency’s work.
The committee pledged to support BOTMA with higher funding in the proposed 2027 state budget, he said.
Tijjani urged BOTMA personnel and members of the public to continue to cooperate with the agency, noting that compliance with traffic regulations was crucial for safer and more orderly roads in Borno State.
