The Lagos State Taskforce has urged Lagosians to desist from patronising bike operators, popularly referred to as ‘Okada’, saying they don’t solely pose dangers to the passengers but additionally a safety threat to all residents.
The company mentioned Okada has been used as a “quick getaway means by criminal elements.”
According to a press release by the Director, Press and Public Affairs, Lagos State Taskforce, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Adetayo Akerele, mentioned this following simultaneous operations towards Okada operatives who’ve carried on with their operations throughout varied components of the Lagos metropolis.
The operation, based on the company’s spokesman, which lasted about six hours was carried out underneath the instruction and directive of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoke Fayoade.
The company, he mentioned, took the operation to the Badagry Expressway, Mile 2, Second Rainbow Bus Stop, V-naija Bus Stop, Alabasuru and Berger Bus Stop the place recalcitrant okada operators had carried on with their actions illegally.
“Speaking on the incident at present, the Chairman of Agency, CSP Adetayo Akerele, disclosed that the majority of those operators have been underneath the impression that it will be enterprise as standard the place the company would perform a single operation to discourage them however that isn’t the case anymore.
“He promised the operators who managed to evade arrest that the long arm of the law would catch up with them in the nearest future if they do not turn over a new leaf,” the assertion mentioned.
The chairman additional said that some Okada operators conceal underneath the guise of the bikes belonging to troopers or are operated by troopers within the neighborhood, all in a bid to evade arrest when caught working.
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He assured them that there will probably be no sacred cows in the case of sanitizing the Highways and restricted routes the place okada operations have absolutely been banned by the state authorities.
“We encountered some form of resistance from okada operators who claim that the bikes belong to soldiers therefore are untouchable. I quickly cleared their doubt and used it as means to sound a note of warning that there are no sacred cows when it comes to restoring sanity on our roads,” he mentioned.
He reiterated the dedication of the state authorities in upholding the Road Transport Sector Reform Laws of 2018 the place it’s clearly said that okada operations are prohibited on all Highways within the State.
The Tmtaskforce chairman additional reminded uniform personnel who make use of okada as a way of transportation back and forth their beat to make sure that they’re absolutely kitted of their regalia whereas on a motorcycle and the one passenger allowed to be on a motorcycle with them is one other uniform personnel who’s absolutely kitted.
“Consequently, the company boss appealed to commuters to desist from patronising okada operators who pose not simply security dangers to the passenger and rider but additionally a safety threat to all resident resulting from the usage of okada as a fast getaway means by prison components.
“He assured residents that the activities of okada operations will be a thing of the past as the agency will leave no stone unturned till they adhere to all traffic rules and regulations of the state,” the assertion added.