THE “total enforcement” of the ban of commercial motorcycles in specified parts of the Lagos City-State goes into effect today, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. These cover six local government areas, LGAs, and nine local council development areas, LCDAs, in Eti Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland and Apapa. It also includes the city’s trunk roads and flyover bridges.

The administration of Babatunde Fashola was the first to take stern legislative and executive actions against the menace of  Okada riders in the state. But the momentum was lost during the Akinwumi Ambode regime.

The menace gathered greater force when strange elements from neighbouring countries such as Niger Republic, Chad and Northern Cameroon joined the mass movement of Northern Nigerians to the South in the last three years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most of the  Okada operators in the Apapa, Lagos Island, Lekki and Ikeja axes are armed and ready to kill anyone that crosses their path. One such recent incident was the killing and setting ablaze of David Imoh in Lekki Phase 1.  Okada men had also killed Superintendent of Police, CSP, Kazeem Abonde, in Ajao Estate on September 24, 2021, during an enforcement activity.

These daredevil  Okada men have no regard for the law, especially traffic laws. They drive against the traffic (One Way) and freely use the restricted Bus Rapid Transport lanes reserved for BRT Buses. Many of them do not even speak pidgin, our unofficial lingua franca, or any Nigerian orthography. They behave just like motorcycle-mounted terrorist bandits who kill, kidnap for ransom, rape and even attack military targets in the North. They are clearly a security threat to lives and property in Lagos.

The government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu must make it clear this time that it has the capacity to implement the Lagos Traffic Laws to the letter. Lagos residents are looking up to him to protect them from the backlash that could ensue from the no-nonsense implementation of the law.

 The bike seizures must continue, while both riders and their passengers must be arrested and prosecuted. More so, all undocumented aliens caught in the exercise should be profiled to know their real motives for coming to Lagos with weapons and refusing to obey its laws. All lawbreakers must face the music.

The Lagos State Government must also hasten its efforts to provide intra-city train services. The residents can no longer wait for the Red and Blue Lines to start. All  Okada and tricycle(Keke) operators in the inner cities must register and be accountable under their accredited unions.

 Military, security and police personnel who employ  Okada  riders must not be allowed to take the law into their hands when their employees break the law,

The LASG has the full support of the public to eliminate the  Okada  menace in Lagos