Why We Ban Commercial Motorcycles In Six LGAs—Lagos Govt

The Lagos State Government is insisting that the security benefits of the recent ban on motorcycle riders popularly called ‘okada’ far outweighs the fast movement which it stands for.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, said this on Thursday in an interview on Arise Tv.

Okada riders had allegedly killed a 37-year-old sound engineer, Sunday David Imoh, over a N100 dispute.

Lagos, Nigeria’s most densely populated state on Tuesday began clamping down on okada riders seizing over 123 bikes over security threat.

On Thursday, the state government banned their operations in six LGAs with full effect on June 1,2022.

The affected councils are Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa. The ban order also extends to all Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) under these councils.

The ban had caused so much panic among commuters as well as the displaced okada riders over the economic hardship it would result for the riders and the commuters.

But others believe that the decision taken by Lagos State was adequate. Some estates residents are agitating for a similar ban on okada riders in their areas over security threats.

He said, “It has something to do with the safety of Lagosians, it has something to do with security, it has something to do with our collective interest. Everybody wants a Lagos that is secure, a Lagos that is safe and a Lagos that we are all proud of.

“The security implications far outweigh everything that they may be calling the advantage of okada in terms of security, in terms of safety of lives and properties. And people are saying it is the time for the government to move in and put a stop to it and that is what we have done.

“If we try to move around so fast by using okada, because you may be late for an appointment and then you get your head smashed or knee broken, we are talking about safety.”