Lagos State Police Command has clarified that residents who operate motorcycles for courier services or other private dealings will not be affected the latest okada ban.
The state government had announced restrictions on motorcycles, popularly known as okada, from operating in six local government areas of the state.
According to Police Commissioner, Abiodun Alabi, it does not affect couriers, but the couriers will not carry passengers.
Alabi said the command will have to make sure they are couriers and not pretending to be one.
He said the other officers who are okada owners must be uniformed personnel who are going to their various place of work.
In his words, those who own power-bikes are not affected, because it’s not meant for commercial purpose.
The latest ban on okadas in the state comes after a sound engineer, David Imoh, was allegedly lynched to death by motorcycle riders in the Lekki area of the state over a fare dispute.
This is not the first time the activities of okada riders have been restricted in Lagos.
Police Commissioner Alabi however said enforcement of the ban this time will be more thorough.
He said most okada riders are criminals and must be taken off the road.
However, the police chief acknowledged that banning okadas may have its side effects.
“We know that banning the Okada riders can actually increase crime rate. And we are not unmindful of that and we are already putting in place a lot of strategies to contend with it,” he said.
“We know that it will send a lot of them to unemployment. We are aware of that and are preparing for it.”
Alabi, stated that many motorcycle operators are criminals in disguise who perpetrate nefarious acts across the state.
Alabi disclosed that many of the riders were unlicensed after consultations with executive bodies within the state.
“I want to be emphatic here, most of them are criminals masquerading as okada riders,” Abiodun said
“We have arrested so many of them with locally made pistols in the course of their operations and many of them have been charged to court.”
The commissioner also lamented the level of crime committed with the aid of motorcycles in communities across the nation’s economic hub.
“They use these okadas to commit a lot of crimes in so many communities; that is why we have been having a lot of dialogue and consultations with their unions,” he said.
“The best way out is to get them off our roads because a lot of them are masquerading as okada riders but are criminals.”
Commissioner Alabi was however not reluctant to admit that the ban had some drawbacks.
“We know that banning the Okada riders can actually increase the crime rate. And we are not unmindful of that and we are already putting in place a lot of strategies to contend with it,” he said.
“We know that it will send a lot of them to unemployment. We are aware of that and are preparing for it.”