The Lagos State
Government on Wednesday ordered the arrest of policemen and military officials
caught engaging in okada riding in prohibited areas across the state.
The government
frowned at the uniformed men disobeying the state’s laws on traffic and
restriction of okada riders, saying that it was illegal for any security
operative in mufti to ride commercial motorcycles on routes where Okada and
tricycles had been restricted.
The pronouncement
was part of the issues discussed during a security meeting held at the State
House in Marina. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu chaired the meeting, which was
attended by Commanders of all security formations in the State.
Briefing the press
after the meeting, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga
Omotoso, said the enforcement of the restriction order would be executed with
more force to completely keep Okada and tricycles away from the restricted
routes.
Members of the
Security Council, the Commissioner said, frowned at a situation in which
uniform men flouted the State’s Transport Sector Reform Laws, warning security
operatives, especially police officers and military personnel, to stop taking
passengers on their motorcycles on restricted routes.
Omotoso said: “We
have just concluded the State Security Council meeting, where we reviewed the
ongoing enforcement of Okada and Keke restriction order in the six Local
Government Areas. Matters concerning uniform men engaging in commercial
motorcycle operation came up in our discussion and there has been an order restricting
them from doing that.
“Only a uniform man
who is fully kitted and who rides 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 Commissioner
reiterated that the State would not relax the laws restricting Okada and
tricycles on the highways, praising Lagosians for standing firm behind the
government in the ongoing enforcement of the restriction order.
In April, Omotoso
said the State Government would 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,” the Commissioner said.
Omotoso said the
government was not resting on its oars in providing required infrastructure
that would improve traffic situation and transportation across the State.
He disclosed that
the Government would be holding a ground-breaking ceremony on the long-awaited
Red Line rail project, which, he said, would be held on March 25. He added that
updates would also be shared on the ongoing Blue Line rail project handling by
Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
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