A mysterious fire has destroyed 10 vehicles parked at the yard of the Traffic and Indiscipline Management Agency of Abia State, (TIMAAS),in Aba.
The fire incident took place five days after Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu had directed TIMAAS to release all vehicles being detained at the yard on or before December 30, 2022.
The burnt vehicles were among those impounded by the Commander of the TIMAAS, Bright Chinedu Ikeokwu before a State High Court sitting in Obingwa Division presided over by Justice E.O. Enwereji, in Suit No; HOB/24/2022; between Kalu Nnamdi Collins (plaintiff) and TIMAAS and Bright Chinedu Ikeokwu (defendants) , declared TIMAAS an illegal body, stressing that it was not created by any law of the State House of Assembly.
It was gathered that more vehicles would have been gutted by the inferno, but for the prompt arrival of the men of the Abia State Fire Service, Aba, who prevented it from spreading to other parts of the yard.
Though the cause of the fire is still unknown, sources at the agency hinted that the inferno may have been ignited by some weed smokers who usually sneak into the premises to smoke weed.
Most of the affected vehicle owners alleged that they have been unable to retrieve their vehicles from the TIMAAS after the Governor ordered the agency to release the vehicles on or before December 30, 2022.
They accused the General Manager of the agency, Mr. Bright Chinedu Ikeokwu of king himself frustrating the release of the impounded vehicles by making himself inaccessible to them.
Motorists in Abia had decried the extortion activities of the agency who impounds vehicles at will.
In a move which appears to be heeding the cries of motorists in the state, Governor Ikpeazu, had in a statement issued through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Chris Ezem, directed that cars owners who vehicles are being detained at the yard to remove them on or before December 30, 2022.
“The Governor of Abia State Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has directed that all impounded vehicles currently in TIMAAS custody must be removed on or before 30th December 2022, failing which the vehicles are there at the owner’s risk. The Management of TIMAAS should ensure strict compliance to this directive.”
