Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the Okada ban on the 18th of May during a meeting with police chiefs in the state, saying it is “total and indefinite”.
The “total enforcement” of the ban of commercial motorcycles in specified parts of the Lagos City-State goes into effect today, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. These cover six local government areas, LGAs, and nine local council development areas, LCDAs, in Eti Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa. It also includes the city’s trunk roads and flyover bridges. The administration of Babatunde Fashola was the first to take stern legislative and executive actions against the menace of Okada riders in the state.
READ ALSO: A Demonic Lie And A Figment Of A Diseased Imagination – BBNaija Pere Debunks Sleeping With First Lady of Kogi State, Rashida Bello
But the momentum was lost during the Akinwumi Ambode regime. The menace gathered greater force when strange elements from neighbouring countries such as Niger Republic, Chad, and Northern Cameroon joined the mass movement of Northern Nigerians to the South in the last three years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the Okada operators in the Apapa, Lagos Island, Lekki, and Ikeja axis are armed and reportedly ready to kill anyone that crosses their path. One such recent incident was the killing and setting ablaze of David Imoh in Lekki Phase 1. Okada men had also killed Superintendent of Police, CSP, Kazeem Abonde, in Ajao Estate on September 24, 2021, during an enforcement activity. These ‘daredevil’ Okada men have no regard for the law, especially traffic laws.
READ ALSO: Okada Ban: 230 Operators And Motorcycles In Police Custody – Lagos CP
They drive against the traffic (One Way) and freely use the restricted Bus Rapid Transport lanes reserved for BRT Buses. Many of them do not even speak pidgin, our unofficial linqua franca, or any Nigerian orthography. Many have said that they behave just like motorcycle-mounted terrorist-bandits who kill, kidnap for ransom, rape, and even attack military targets in the North. To an extent, they have clearly a security threat to lives and property in Lagos. The government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu is doing everything possible to make it clear this time that it has the capacity to implement the Lagos Traffic Laws to the letter. As Lagos residents are looking up to him to protect them from the backlash that could ensue from the no-nonsense implementation of the law. As the Okada ban starts today, many Lagosians have come out to lament about the difficulty of getting to their workplace, homes, etc, because to an extent Okada is known to ply roads that Kekes do not. See comments below;
Photo Credit: Getty
