Focus Initiative Against Touting (FIAT) said that is prepared and fully committed to put an end to the activities of touts who are constituting nuisance all over major streets of Aba and Umuahia, the capacity city of Abia State.
Aba City Blog reports that the activities of touts in the commercial city of Aba which includes: , constituting nuisance on major roads, constant fighting, harassment of motorists and business people have paralysed many economic activities.
Speaking to Journalists in Aba, the National Coordinator of FIAT, Victor Johnson said the organization which is now becoming known in almost all the 36 states, will inaugurate its Abia Chapter on Thursday, 24th September 2020.
He said the FIAT whose main aim is to remove touts that are making lives difficult for business people and residents out of the roads is doing the job in collaboration with police and other security agencies.
“Ever since we came up in 2016, we’ve been going from place to place in the 36 states to make sure that the activities of touts are put on check.
“We’re carrying out our activities in collaboration with the Nigeria Police. We have approval with the Nigeria police to function as whistle blowers in the area of touting.
“As a non-governmental agency, police, SSS, army, the NSCDC and other law enforcement agencies are the lawful weapon we have and we collaborate with them to make our society a better place. We have legal advisory body that assist us on the legal procedure of whatever we want to do,” he said.
Johnson said the collaboration between FIAT and the Anambra State Ministry of Transport has recently yielded good fruits as over 200 touts were arrested and prosecuted.
He added, “If you go to Onitsha or let’s say Anambra State, the Ministry of Transport there partnered with us and as a result, over 200 touts were arrested and presented to a mobile court and some of them are still serving their sentences today.”
He said FIAT has written to Abia state government and are hoping for similar collaboration to enable them get touts of the streets of Abia.
“We’ve written to the state government. We’re not after their revenue agents. We’ll ensure that their revenue agents are protected, because government will not give job to a tout.
“They’ll screen you before giving you job. So, once anyone can prove that he is sent by the government we’ll leave him, but we’ll monitor their activities so that it must be in tandem with what the law says,” he said.
Mr. Chima Ubani Abia State Coordinator of FIAT pleaded with all good spirited Abians who know these touts or know those related to them to advise them to hands off their illicit activities.
“We have a lot of things to change in Abia especially Aba. Our Motor Parks and our Major Highways must be cleared of touts. Every Federal road must be cleared of touts. States government and their agencies can help us out.
“We’re not going to fight anybody, but the unrepentant touts should be taken to court. Abia will be a place more better than other states when it comes to comfortable environment devoid of touting scuffling. Tomorrow by 10am, we’ll inaugurate the Abia chapter of this organization here in Aba.”
Director of Publicity and Orientation of FIAT, Eusebio Eke Substance urged journalists in the state to assist the organization in the fight against touting, stressing that activities of touts are affecting all human endeavours in Abia.
“After the inauguration we’ll kick start. We call on the press to join us in this fight. Aba is full of touts and their activities are affecting everybody. You know that most times, it’s people in government that keep those boys there.
“We need the press to help us in this humanitarian job because we can’t continue to have a society where people live in fear because of touts.
“FIAT has what it takes to tackle the issue of touting. We have businesses to thrive, night lives returned so that Aba will regain its glory and touts are the major problem we have here.”
