Okada ban: Lagos Task force to Crush 2228 Motorcycles
The Lagos State Task Force has disclosed that it is set to crush another set of 2,228 impounded commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada on Friday (today).
THECONSCIENCENG gathered that the Chairman of the taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
The statement was signed by the Director, Press and Public Affairs, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem.
Abdulraheem quoted Jejeloye as saying that the agency will intensify its effort in ensuring that all impounded motorcycles are crushed after following the due process.
The statement read in part “Following the announcement of a total ban on operation of commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada on all highways across six local government areas and nine local council development areas of the state by the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, the Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye, has said that the agency will on Friday crush another set of 2,228 impounded motorcycles to further make the enforcement of the ban thorough and effective.
“The chairman stated that the laws are very clear for Okada operators to see that their actions are in complete violation of the Transport Reform Laws of the state.”
Jejeloye noted that although the compliance rate of the Okada operators is high and encouraging, they (operators) are still not to be trusted.
He added, “Their style of operation is synonymous to guerrilla warfare- when we retreat, they advance, and when we advance, they retreat, but enforcement on the ban has come to stay.
“We will ensure not a single offender operating his okada on the highways will be spared. We will keep watch and continue patrolling the affected parts of the state to ensure they do not get back on our roads.”
He said the agency had impounded over 259 bikes during the first two days of the ban while 18 suspected riders and passengers were arrested.
“All the suspects will be prosecuted for violating the state laws. Passengers will not be spared this time around, and they will be charged accordingly in the court of law,” the statement added.
