The presence of these vehicles also raises questions about the security-consciousness of law enforcement agencies and how seriously they view the new threat to national security.
MEND had recently warned residents to steer clear of abandoned vehicles and government buildings, saying it was going to detonate car bombs again on or before November 6, 2010 in the city.
Though security agencies were not taking the threat with levity, a surveillance of the city carried out by PUNCH METRO between Monday and Wednesday revealed that a number of vehicles had been abandoned in certain strategic areas of the Central Business District by unknown persons.
No fewer than four abandoned vehicles were seen around government’s buildings during the surveillance.
For instance, a white bus has been parked very close to the visitors’ car park of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and a few metres to the corporation’s gate on Herbert Macaulay Way, CBD for some time.
Though the bus served as a ‘store’ for a young man, who sells herbal medicines imported from Asia, it constitutes a security risk as it could be loaded with powerful dynamites at night.
The drug seller, who identified himself as Promise, said he had been advised by the NNPC security men to move the vehicle, but added that he would remove it once he rectified the vehicle’s flat battery.
“God forbid that my bus should be used by bombers; I will remove it immediately I charge the battery because it is down now,” he said.
Also, a derelict taxi without number plate was also abandoned opposite the corporation in front of the Millennium Builders’ Plaza.
The taxi painted in the commercial green colour for Abuja cabs was noticed at the spot last week Wednesday and it has remained on the same spot since then.
A commercial bus with registration number Abuja XC392 RBC is also parked in front of Bullet Construction work yard, a few metres from the Federal Secretariat.
It could not be ascertained if the vehicle had broken down or was abandoned. Some ice-cream vendors, who were relaxing at a commuter shelter beside the bus, could not give any information about how long the vehicle has been there.
When asked of the security measures being taken in respect of abandoned vehicles in the city centre, the Assistant Director, Public Relations of the State Security Service, Marilyn Ogar, declined to respond to our correspondent’s questions.
“I won’t take any question from you on the matter of abandoned vehicles in Abuja,” she said abrasively and terminated the telephone call abruptly.
But the Acting Force Public Relations Officer, Yemi Ajayi , said the police had given out telephone numbers for information on suspicious vehicles.
He explained that once a vehicle had been identified as abandoned, the police would tow it to a designated place where the owner could come and claim it later.
Ajayi said, “Not all vehicles are abandoned; some were left because of mechanical failure. So, once we get information that a vehicle has been abandoned in a place over a certain period of time, the command will tow it to a designated place for the owner to claim it.
The police are working to secure the country and the present situation has impressed it on everyone that security is everybody’s business.”
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