LASACOMM backs ban on Okada, urges members to be law-abiding

Glory Ebomah

The Lagos State Arewa Community (LASACOMM) has expressed its support for the ban on commercial motorbikes, popularly called ‘Okada’ on some restricted routes in Lagos State.

LASACOMM in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Alhaji Musa Saleh, said the association met on Sunday and unanimously agreed to comply with the provisions of the laws of Lagos State.

In a communique issued at the end of the extra-ordinary meeting of the Lagos State Arewa Community General Assembly on May 22, 2022, the association said: “The restriction of Commercial Motorcycle (Okada) operators in some Local Governments in Lagos State is not a new law.

“It has been in existence for over ten years. We resolve today unanimously that all our members must comply with the provisions of the laws of Lagos State. We are law-abiding and we will always continue to intimate all our members to continue to be law-abiding and operate only within the ambits of the law.

“We support all measures taken by the Lagos State Government in its efforts towards protecting the lives and prosperities of all Lagosians.

“We condemn in totality the activities of all criminal elements who are mostly foreigners from Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and other Neighbouring countries who have infiltrated the ranks of those genuine riders and thereby perpetrating all forms of crime in Lagos state and are constituting serious threats to the lives and properties of Lagosians.

“We are calling on the Security Agencies to identify and arrest all those criminal elements masquerading as Okada riders.

“We also tasking the Nigeria Immigration Service to step up its actions along the borderline in checking the influx of those foreign elements coming into the Country without genuine intention.

“We are in total commitment and support to the administrative policies of the Lagos State Government getting rid of all security threats promoting peace and tranquillity, safeguarding lives and properties of Lagos and the massive provision and development of infrastructures facilities for all Lagosians.

“We are calling on all well-meaning Arewa Community members to comply with our common resolve and avoid the Local Governments of Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Etiosa and Ikeja.

“We will work with the Lagos State Government and the Association of Arewa Okada Riders towards the implementation of extant rules and documentation of all riders in all Local Governments of Lagos State. We must have adequate data on everyone. We call on the Lagos State Government to be vigilant and take proper punitive measures on bad eggs within the security agencies.”

LASACOMM, however, Lagos State Government for its support to their developmental programmes and are called on the state government to the association’s programmes further.

The association listed the programmes as registration; data generation and compliance monitoring; 2-wheels to 4-wheels upgrade programme for the same costs.