BAN ON OKADA:  Lagos  Taskforce To Crush 250 Commercial, Power Bikes

The Lagos State Taskforce has reiterated its commitment to enforce the ban on the activities of commercial motorcycle operators in six Local Governments and nine Local Council Development Areas of the State by expanding its tentacles to power bikes and dispatch riders who violate the Traffic Law.

The Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye, speaking today at the headquarters of the Agency in Bolade Oshodi, said that power bikes and motorcycles with capacity above the required standard were confiscated for either driving against traffic (one-way), conveying passengers or plying BRT corridors across the State.

Jejeloye explained that despite the focus on commercial motorcycles, popularly known as ‘Okada’, the State Transport Sector reform laws prohibit motorbikes of any capacity from plying one-way.

“Riding a power bike does not make you immune to traffic laws of the State, especially when it has to do with riding against traffic on one-way, which is highly dangerous to road users and even pedestrians.

” Any motorbike violating the State traffic laws will be met with the same level of punishment as the Okada riders”, he stated.

The Chairman further disclosed that dispatch riders who have seized the opportunity of the absence of Okada on the highways to transport commuters on their bikes would also have their motorbikes impounded.

He urged all dispatch and delivery bike owners to warn their riders to desist from lifting passengers or risk forfeiting the bikes to the State Government, stressing that anyone caught contravening the traffic laws of the State will not be spared.

Jejeloye revealed that the 250 commercial and power bikes seized for various violations by the Agency will be crushed this weekend at the taskforce crushing site in Alausa.