Security: Oshiomhole bans commercial motorcyclists in three LGAs

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State in Benin, the state capital, on Tuesday announced a ban on the operations of commercial motorcyclists, called okada, in three local government areas of the state.
The governor, who announced the ban at the end of the State Security Council meeting, added that the ban would take effect from June 17.
He listed the local government areas affected as Egor, Ikpoba-Okha and Oredo and explained that the decision was in the overall interest of members of the public.
The governor said that government had a responsibility to protect life and pointed out that more than 80 per cent of accident victims in hospitals were as a result of ‘okada’ crashes.
He said that government was compelled to take the decision having observed that more people were using them for criminality rather than as means of livelihood.
Oshiomhole said that with a similar ban on their operations in neighbouring states, Edo State had been witnessing an influx of okada and their riders, who had turned the state to their new safe haven.
He, however, said that government would monitor the situation in the remaining 15 local government areas of the state.
The governor warned that appropriate actions would be taken against offenders and added that government would conduct random checks on private guards to authenticate their places of origin.
He said proactive steps were needed to ensure the safety of all.
Oshiomhole said that after random checks, illegal immigrants would be dealt with according to the law.
He advised landlords and tenants to ensure that private guards in their homes were scrutinised properly before giving them jobs.
The governor stressed that most kidnap victims were abducted through information supplied by their employees.
The governor said the government had identified some houses used by kidnappers and was determined to demolish them.
He stressed that the issue of security was everyone’s business.
The governor said that government would reward any person, who provided useful information on kidnapping, armed robbery or murder.