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 promote safer roads across the state.
The General Manager of BOTMA, Baba Shehu Tijjani told the Voice of Nigeria in Maiduguri in an interview.
Tijjani said the agency was set up to deal with transportation management issues that had arisen from the increased use of tricycles popularly known as Keke NAPEP following the restriction on motorcycles over security concerns in the state.
He said the increasing reliance on tricycles had made it necessary to have a dependable system of registering and identifying owners and operators.
“The increasing reliance on Keke NAPEP makes necessary proper system of registration and identification of owners and operators,” Tijjani said.
He said the agency had registered about 25,000 tricycles operating in the Jere and Maiduguri Local Government Areas.
He said the registration database holds information on owners and operators, their residential areas and next of kin.
“The database has been useful in tracing lost property and supporting investigations into complaints and allegations involving tricycle operators,” said Tijjani.
He said the database has proved useful when a passenger reports losing something inside a tricycle, and also in cases involving allegations against operators.
He said 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 provided operational vehicles to improve their effectiveness.
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“The recruitment has boosted our manpower and at the same time created jobs for our youths in the state,” he said.
Tijjani expressed optimism that continued improvement in the security situation would allow the government to recruit more personnel and extend BOTMA’s operations to additional local government areas.
“The agency also generates revenue for the state and runs regular media sensitization programs to educate residents on traffic regulations and responsible road use,” he said.
The General Manager admitted that BOTMA faced initial resistance from some members of the public due to lack of understanding of its mandate.
“We had difficulties at the beginning because people did not understand us but gradually the public started to understand our work and cooperate with us,” he underlined.
He said traffic offenders were fined and made to pay thru designated banks or Borno state board of internal revenue.
Tijjani also 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 be no excuse for breaking traffic laws,” he said.
Tijjani said the Borno State House of Assembly Committee on Transportation had recently visited the agency and commended its work.
He said the committee promised to support BOTMA with higher funding in the proposed 2027 state budget.
Tijjani called on BOTMA staff and the general public to keep cooperating with the agency, stressing that observance of traffic rules was key to ensuring safer and more orderly roads in Borno State.