The Lagos State Government on Wednesday urged commercial motorcyclists, popularly called Okada, plying prohibited roads in the state to desist from such routes as they remained banned.
CSP Shola Jejeloye, Chairman, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit, said this.
Jejeloye told the News Agency of Nigeria that the ban on such routes was still in force.
He said the withdrawal of security agents from such routes due to the ongoing general election does not allow commercial motorcyclists to return to such routes.
He said the return of commercial motorcyclists had compounded the arrangement for free flow of traffic on such routes.
NAN observed that Okada riders carried two passengers from Ikorodu to Ojota, while some ran against traffic from Mile 12, Ketu to Ojota.
In May 2022, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had announced ban on the activities of commercial motorcycles in six local government areas beginning from June 1.
The local governments are Ikeja, Surulere, Etiosa, Lagos Island, Mainland and Apapa.
The governor later included four additional local government areas: Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Shomolu and Mushin, bringing the total to 10 council areas.
He said that the decision was due to disobedience to traffic regulations and increase in robbery by the use of motorcycles.
Sanwo-Olu said the government took the decision in line with the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018.
Jejeloye said: “The order banning them is still in force.
“Our men are not on ground.
“They are on election duties.
“For now, we have a lot in our hands, but it beholds on the offenders to obey the laid down rules.”
Jejeloye said there had been reports of reckless plying of the routes by commercial motorcyclists, adding that some run against traffic thereby causing an accident.
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