Sanwo-Olu vows to arrest any soldier, police officer caught using the motorcycle for commercial purposes.
The Lagos State Government has vowed to arrest any military or uniformed personnel who uses a motorcycle for commercial purposes.
On February 1, 2020, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his team commenced the enforcement of a ban on commercial motorcycles and tricycles popularly referred to as ‘Okada’ and ‘Napep,' in a chunk of the city.
The Okada and Napep were banned from the city center because they had caused numerous accidents and had worsened crime rate, the government said.
Soldiers who operate Okadas
Since the restriction of the activities of the commercial motorcyclists, Lagosians have noticed that a couple of soldiers, police or navy personnel have gone into the Okada business in their uniforms, because no one will dare arrest a military officer doing the rounds or hustling while wearing a uniform.
However, the Lagos state government has now issued a stern warning to uniform men flouting the “State’s Transport Sector Reform Laws. It is illegal for any security operative in mufti to ride commercial motorcycles on routes where Okada and tricycles have been restricted,” the government declared through Information Commissioner Gbenga Omotoso.
The pronouncement arrived in the wake of a security meeting held at the State House in Marina this week.
Governor Sanwo-Olu chaired the meeting, which was attended by Commanders of all security formations in the State.
“The enforcement of the restriction order will be executed with more force to completely keep Okada and tricycles away from the restricted routes.
“Members of the Security Council frown at a situation in which uniform men flout the state’s Transport Sector Reform Laws,” Omotoso says.
The directive “warns security operatives, especially police/military personnel, to stop taking passengers on their motorcycles on restricted routes.
“Only a uniform man who is fully kitted and who rides a motorcycle as his own personal mode of transportation, is allowed.
“If any uniform man ventures into commercial motorcycle operation or Keke, the action of such a person is illegal and such persons are going to be arrested if they are caught.”
The wait for Okada alternatives
Lagosians have been groaning about trekking long distances to catch buses or commercial vans to work, as the Okada could reach inner city routes where buses cannot ply. Omotoso says the Lagos state government is working hard to fill the void the Okada has left.
“In April, the state government will be assuaging the pain being felt by residents by injecting buses of different sizes and capacities into the public transportation space to serve as alternative to Okada and Keke.
“We are using this opportunity to inform Lagosians that the palliatives promised by the government will be coming very soon, most likely in April,” Omotoso adds.
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