Lagos Hausa leaders Warn Okada Riders Against Protesting Ban

Lagos Hausa leaders Warn Okada Riders Against Protesting Ban

 Leaders of the Hausa community in Lagos State have warned their subjects to shun any form of demonstration to protest the ban of commercial motorcycles popular known as Okada in six local government areas in the state.

THECONSCIENCENG gathered that the leaders spoke during interviews with newsmen on Thursday evening.

One of the leaders, Iliyasu Kira, said no protest will be allowed from any member.

According to Kira, who is the Seriki of Shasha in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, the decision of the government will sanitise the system.

He said, “Our people are complaining because the Okada ban will affect them but we are calming them down. We will not allow any protest because the government is superior and nobody should fight the government.

“There are bad eggs amongst Okada riders while there are also good ones but the bad eggs have implicated the good ones by not obeying traffic laws, riding Okada in the middle of the night, using one-way, carrying dangerous weapons etc. We can only appeal to the government again to reconsider its decision.”

Asked whether the association of Seriki Hausawa in Lagos has met since the fresh ban on Okada by the government, Kira said they have not met on the matter.

Also, the Seriki Hausa of Ajah, Ibrahim Ngoma, said no protest will be allowed in the state as he was dialoguing with his subjects.

He said though the affected area where the task force operated today does not fall under his purview, no protest will be allowed.

Ngoma said, “Right now, nobody is complaining because the law has not taken effect as it will in June. We can’t protest, it is the law of the Lagos State, and we will follow the law. We won’t allow that.”

The leaders had appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reconsider the ban because many Okada riders from the northern region of the country contribute significantly to the voting population of Lagos.

Earlier there had been reports that there was pandemonium on Thursday as policemen and motorcycle riders clashed in the Iyana Iba, Alaba, Agric, Barracks ends of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

It was gathered that the clash started after men of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Task Force) and the Rapid Response Squad visited the areas to enforce the state traffic law.

The operatives were said to have seized motorcycles along the expressway and also issued a notice to occupants at the Alaba Rago Market to vacate the premises.

Some of the Okada riders, however, resisted the seizure of their motorcycles, which led to a face-off between them and the security agents.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said over 200 motorcycles were impounded by the police during the raid.

The Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State declined comments on the matter.