The Lagos State Government has directed security operatives to enforce ban on commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, as it imposes fresh ban to curtail the unruly activities of motorcyclists in the state.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the directive on Wednesday, during a meeting with the state Commissioner of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) at the State House, Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu said that the total ban on Okada riders was on all highways across the six Local Government Areas (LGAs) and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state.
He said that with effective from June 1, security operatives should enforce the proscription order across the listed councils.
The affected councils are Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa, and the total ban order extends to all LCDAs under the listed councils.
According to him, the fresh Okada ban followed the Feb. 2020 restriction placed on the activities of the commercial motorcycles.
Sanwo-Olu said that the government took the decision in line with the State’s Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018, to immediately address the chaos and menace created by operations of commercial motorcyclists in the listed areas.
He urged the Police to enforce the order without compromise, warning that the state government would not condone any security formation that relax the new ban in its jurisdiction.
”After critical review of our restriction on Okada activities in the first six Local Government Areas, where we restricted them on Feb. 1, 2020, we have seen that the menace has not abated.
”We are now directing a total ban on Okada activities across the highways and bridges within these six Local Government and their Local Council Development Areas, effective from June 1, 2022.
”This is a phased ban we are embarking on this period, and we expect that within the short while when this ban will be enforced, Okada riders in other places where their activities are yet to be banned can find something else to do.
”We have given the notice now and we expect all commercial motorcycles plying the routes in the listed councils and areas to vacate the highways before enforcement begins. The enforcement will be total,” the governor said.
He urged residents patronising Okada riders on highways to embrace the alternative transport schemes already provided by the government to plan their journey.