Sanwo-Olu talks tough, mulls total ban on “Okada” operation in Lagos 

By OLASUNKANMI AKANI

As part of moves towards eradicating the menace of commercial motorcyclists, popularly called “Okada riders”Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said his administration has concluded plans to review the 2012 Lagos Traffic Law guiding their operations, as well as keeping Lagos safe, secure and peaceful.

Sanwo-Olu stated this on Monday, at the Stakeholders’ Meeting on Security, held in Alausa, Ikeja, organized by the state government.

The stakeholders’ meeting was aimed at putting the security agencies, communities and entire stakeholders at alert, towards making the state safer for residents to live and carry out daily activities within ambits of the law without any apprehension or fear.

According to him, “We have noted with dismay the fact that Okada riders are disregarding and flouting the restrictions we imposed on their activities in certain areas of the metropolis. In this same vein, we have also observed with dismay the ongoing war between commercial motorcyclists and our law enforcement agencies.

“This propensity for lawlessness is not who we are as Lagosians. The Lagos State Road Traffic Law, enacted in 2012 to safeguard the lives of people and to maintain law and order on our roads, is the legal backbone for the restrictions put in place early last year and designed to curb the Okada menace in the State.

“As part of the restrictions put in place, we banned the activities of Okada and tricycle operators on key roads, highways, and Local Government Areas. Sadly, many Okada and tricycle operators have continued to flagrantly disobey the law and, in some cases, resist enforcement by engaging in organised attacks on law enforcement agencies.

We have also observed a worrying trend in which criminals have found commercial motorcycles a useful and enabling tool with which to perpetrate heinous crimes, with the motorcycles acting as quick-getaway vehicles.

“As we all know, no society can make progress amid such haughty display of lawlessness and criminality. Ladies and gentlemen, let me reiterate our commitment as a government to the maintenance of law and order in society. Our mission of attaining a Greater Lagos can only be achieved when we all resolve to live in an orderly manner.

“Consequently, and based on all that we have seen and experienced in the past couple of weeks, as well as the increasing threat posed by the activities of commercial motorcycle operators to the safety and security of lives, we will in the coming days be announcing further changes to the parameters of motorcycle and tricycle operations in the state.” (Vanguard)