VIO To Impound Vehicles With Under-Aged Conductors

The Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in Kaduna State on Tuesday warned that it would henceforth arrest any commercial vehicle found engaging under-aged persons as conductors.

Malam Buhari Aliyu, the spokesman of the organisation, gave the warning in an interview in Kaduna.

The spokesman said that the warning became necessary following reports of increase in the number of under-aged bus conductors operating in parts of the state.

He said also that drivers of commercial vehicle arrested with under-aged conductors would be prosecuted.

According to him, under the Road Traffic Regulation of the Federation, 2008, any person below 18 years is not allowed to drive or to be a conductor.

Aliyu urged parents to send their children to school rather than force them into the labour market.

In his comment, Alhaji Usman Muhammad, Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers in the state, said drivers using under-aged conductor were not registered members of the union.

“We do not register members with under-aged conductors,’’ he said, and appealed to commercial motorists to be law abiding and always cooperate with law enforcement agencies to make the roads more safer.