Published By Seyi Babalola
A middle aged woman was said to have died on the spot, when she fell off from the back of a commercial motorcycle, popularly called okada, at Ikeja Along, as the operator tried to avoid arrest as the total ban on okada operation commenced in Lagos State on Monday.
Ikeja, is one of the six local governments and nine Local Council Developments Area (LCDA) from where okada operation was totally banned in the pilot phase of the clampdown on okada operation in the Lagos metropolis.
The state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu had on May 18 signed an executive order prohibiting okada operation in 15 council areas of the state. The affected councils are: Ikeja, Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Surulere, Apapa and Lagos Island local government areas, while the LCDAs on which okada operation had been banned are Onigbongbo, Ojodu, Ikoyi-Obalende, Iru-Victoria Island, and Lagos Island East. Others are; Itire-Ikate, Coker Aguda, Iganmu and Yaba.
The woman, whose identity was not known, according to an eye witness named Clement Inuwa, a commercial bus driver, fell, as the okada driver tried to avoid the Taskforce, who had taken position on both carriage ways to arrest any defaulters of the governor’s order.
“The okada driver and the woman passenger was coming from Iyana-Ipaja and heading towards Oshodi, very early in the morning when they ran into the enforcement team and in the process of maneuvering and avoiding arrest, the woman fell down, hit her head on the median and died on the spot. The okada driver however escaped.
At Apapa, another council where the order was fully enforced, it waqs difficult time for port users on Wednesday morning as many of them had to take to trekking, while few rode bicycles to the Apapa Wharf and TinCan Ports, due to the commencement of the total ban on okada operation.
The Port access roads, such Liverpool Road, and Creek Road, and others were clear of okada menace yesterday as the operators stayed away on the first day of the enforcement of the order.
Until yesterday, okada was solely depended upon by port users into and out of Apapa, as port activities have made the entire port city almost inaccessible.
It was gathered that the state government would be setting up and anti-okada squad and has recruited about 600 members for who it commenced an orientation exercise at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, on Tuesday. The orientation was organised by the state Ministry of Transportation.
Transportation Commissioner Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, on Tuesday, said the aim for the setting up of the squad is to ensure effective enforcement of the ban order.
According to Oladeinde, “In line with the commencement of the ban of motorcycle operations within (6) LGs and the respective LCDAs under them, the Ministry of Transportation Inaugurated an Anti-Okada Squad.”
He said the squad would be complemented by armed members of the Nigeria Police, Army and other security agencies.
Sanwo-Olu, while urging residents to stop patronising Okada riders on highways but embrace the First and Last Mile (FLM) buses, medium-capacity and high-capacity buses, as well as the modern ferries which it is providing on the waterways to ease commuting.
The governor insisted that Okada operations on the highways remained unsafe and would no longer be tolerated.
“Before the end of the year, we are also bringing the rail along these corridors with their terminals. We have provided jetties as well to provide alternatives.”
Commissioner of Police Mr Abiodun Alabi had said both the okada driver and passenger carried by the operator are liable and would be prosecuted, if caught on any of the 15 councils piloting the total ban regime.