By Adeyinka Aderibigbe
Commercial motorcycle operators still operating on restricted routes in Lagos State may be in for a tough time the Lagos State government has said.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi who dropped the hint said the major onslaught against them was to further sanitize the state’s traffic congestion and enhance public safety.
He spoke on the heels of a sting operation, Monday morning by men of the Lagos State Task Force, where 63 operators caught plying Oshodi axis, one of the restricted routes, were arrested and their motorcycles impounded.
He said security operatives have been given the marching orders to uphold traffic regulations.
Osiyemi, speaking from his Alausa Office in Ikeja, commended the recent strategic enforcement efforts by the Task Force.
He further stated that the campaign aims to unequivocally halt motorcycle operations in specified restricted zones, ensuring public safety and optimizing the city’s transportation network, adding that the ban on commercial motorcycles (‘okada’) remains in force in 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 15 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) within the metropolis.
Osiyemi urged residents and commuters to refrain from using motorcycles on restricted routes. He reiterated the penalties for violation which include; three years in prison for both riders and passengers with their motorcycles impounded and publicly crushed in accordance with Section 46, sub-section 1, 2 & 3 of the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL), 2018.
The Transportation Commissioner emphasized the importance of voluntary compliance while urging the public to cooperate with government policies for their safety and well being.