Following the ongoing enforcement of the ban on the operation of commercial motorcycles popularly known as ‘Okada’ on highways across six local government areas in Lagos State, the chairman of the state task force, Shola Jejeloye has said that the agency will Friday, June 3, crush 2,228 impounded motorcycles.
Speaking in his office at Bolade, Oshodi, the task force chairman said the agency though has been carrying out crushing of bikes in the past, the last of which was on May 25, 2022, it was further intensifying effort at ensuring that all impounded Okada are crushed after following the due process of Traffic Laws as enshrined in Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018.
Read also: Okada ban: Police arrest 16, impound 140 motorcycles
He said the activities of the Okada operators were in violation of the transport reform laws of the state that “No 2 persons shall ride, drive or propel a motorcycle or tricycle on a highway within the state, and any person in contravention of this provision commits an offence and will be prosecuted.”
Jejeloye added that the agency has doubled its effort since June 1, although the compliance rate was high and encouraging.
“The time has come for us to put an end to this menace and we will carry it out to the tooth. Okada operators had a grace period of two weeks as provided by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu before we hit the streets yet we still have pockets of them violating the order.”
Meanwhile, the agency impounded over 259 bikes during the first two days of the ban while 18 suspected riders and passengers were arrested. All the suspects will be prosecuted for violating the state laws. Passengers will not be spared this time around, and they will be charged accordingly in the court of law, he said.
