...Governor: ‘Okada Menace In Lagos Disturbing, Residents Must Embrace Safe Alternatives’

...Second Phase Of Okada Ban Coming

Against the backdrop of the growing menace and nuisance constituted by commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, Lagos State Government has imposed a fresh ban to curtail the unruly activities of the riders.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, announced a total ban on Okada on all highways across six Local Government Areas (LGAs) and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the State.

Effective from June 1, 2022, the Governor directed security operatives to enforce the proscription order across the listed councils. The affected councils are Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa.

The total ban order extends to all LCDAs under the listed councils.

The Governor gave out the directive at a meeting with Commissioner of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) at the State House in Alausa.

The fresh Okada ban followed the February 2020 restriction placed on the activities of the commercial motorcycles.

Sanwo-Olu said the Government took the decision in line with the State’s Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 to immediately address the chaos and menace created by operations of Okada in the listed areas.

Sanwo-Olu told the police to enforce the order without compromise, sternly warning that the State Government would not condone any security formation that relaxes the new ban in its jurisdiction.

He said: “After critical review of our restriction on Okada activities in the first six Local Government Areas where we restricted them on February 1, 2020, we have seen that the menace has not abated. We are now directing a total ban on Okada activities across the highways and bridges within these six Local Government and their Local Council Development Areas, effective from June 1, 2022.

“This is a phased ban we are embarking on this period, and we expect that within the short while when this ban will be enforced, Okada riders in other places where their activities are yet to be banned can find something else to do. We have given the notice now and we expect all commercial motorcycles plying the routes in the listed councils and areas to vacate the highways before enforcement begins. The enforcement will be total.”

Sanwo-Olu advised residents patronising Okada riders on highways to embrace the alternative transport schemes already provided by the Government to plan their journey. He said the Government had provided Last Mile Buses, medium-capacity and high-capacity buses in the affected areas for the convenience of commuters.