Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has banned the operations of commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada, on highways and bridges across six local government areas and nine local council development areas of Lagos State to curtail the menace and unruly activities of commercial motorcyclists.

The affected councils are Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa.

The governor who briefed heads of security agencies at a meeting at State House, Ikeja, yesterday, said Okada riding on the highways remained unsafe and would no longer be tolerated. He directed that effective June 1, security operatives should enforce the proscription order across the listed councils.

Sanwo-Olu told the police to enforce the order without compromise, sternly warning that the state government would not condone any security formation that relaxes the new ban in its jurisdiction.

He said the government took the decision in line with the state’s Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 to address the chaos and menace created by operations of motorcycles in the listed areas.

“After critical review of our restriction on Okada activities in the first six local government areas where we restricted them on February 1, 2020, we have seen that the menace has not abated. We are now directing a total ban on Okada activities across the highways and bridges within these six local government and their Local Council Development Areas, effective from June 1, 2022.

“This is a phased ban we are embarking on this period, and we expect that within the short, while when this ban will be enforced, Okada riders in other places where their activities are yet to be banned can find something else to do. We have given the notice now and we expect all commercial motorcycles plying the routes in the listed councils and areas to vacate the highways before enforcement begins. The enforcement will be total.”

Sun