Metro
Lagos exempts security agents, courier officials from Okada ban
Essential service providers such as dispatch riders, courier companies, and others have been exempted the Lagos State government’s ban of motorcycle and tricycle operators, a state official said on Monday.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, who disclosed this to journalists in Alausa, said newspaper dispatching motorcycle and power bike riders were also exempted from the ban, while security agents have discretionary powers in certain instances.
He told journalists the state government has no plan to review the ban despite protests across the state.
The commissioner said: “Every officer to enforce this law has discretionary powers. Aside from the discretionary powers, courier companies, dispatch riders, newspaper dispatching motorcycles, and motorbikes are exempted from the ban and they must be well kitted. You wear your helmet, you don’t carry passengers and you have your box behind you to show you are a dispatch rider.”
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On police and other security agents, he added: “The police ride Okada, but you see that they are well kitted. You will even know that these are police motorcycles. And the officers enforcing the law know who to exempt. There may have been mistakes in the past two days, but such mistakes have been addressed and those arrested released with apologies.”
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