LAGOS State government has commenced fresh consultations on how to end the menace posed by commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as okada riders in the state, amid renewed onslaught against criminality within their ranks.
This time, authorities are not ruling out a statewide ban, which may see over 500,000 riders completely out of job. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, said that the state government had come under pressure from well-meaning residents, as the okada operators are now regularly linked with crimes and criminality, including murder.
In April, a scenario had prompted the state government rolling out measures, including strict enforcement of the partial ban placed on their operations, with a caveat that the future conduct of the operators would determine government’s next line of action.
By a wide margin, majority of the residents favoured okada being outlawed in the entire state. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, however, decided to give the riders another opportunity, while demanding strict compliance from them, but their recent activities appear to have negated the assurances given the authorities by the transport union leaders.
Omotoso said all cards are on the table, but would not want to preempt the governor, who he said has the final say on the fate of the riders in the state.
He said, “Governor Sanwo-Olu gave the police commissioner express instruction to go after all those who contributed in one way or the other to the death of the police officer (CSP Kazeem Abonde), and he made it known that anybody found to have hand in the incident would not escape the wrath of the law. Whoever is found culpable would be taken to court and judgment would be served.
“And because of this incident and some others, Lagosians have been saying that okada have been used to perpetrate these evils. It is only natural that we review our position on okada; we are going to review it.
“We are not going to say what will be the outcome; there are many stakeholders that are involved. If you recall what happened in April, you will discover that we deliberated on the matter. We called everybody.
“As things are now, consultations are on. But as leaders, we know what is good for our people, and when that time comes, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor, will take a decision on it, but I do not want to preempt what the decision of the state government would be. All I know is that we are going to review our stand on okada.”
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