Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory, says all commercial drivers in Abuja must obtain clearance from the Nigerian police force (NPF) and Department of State Services (DSS) from January 2025.

He said the move is to curtail kidnapping and cases of ‘one-chance’ robbery in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Wike disclosed this on Thursday, at the FCT renewed hope youth empowerment programme.

The minister added that any commercial bus or taxi driver who fails to meet the requirements will not be allowed to operate within the FCT.

“Most of the Keke Napep and most of the motorcycles are informants. Everybody here who is a beneficiary is being profiled by security,” Wike said.

“And so, what we are coming up with is that from January next year, there will be nobody that will operate as a taxi driver or a bus driver without having approval from security, with security profiling you, and without going about with Abuja colour

“Nothing like using any vehicle on the road. No, we won’t allow that. We won’t allow that starting in January.

“We will take the vehicle number, the names of the drivers, and the rest so everybody will have confidence that this is the vehicle I’m entering in case anything happens.

The FCT minister also handed over some new cars to beneficiaries of the taxi scheme