Lagos moves to enforce Okada ban, curb kidnapping in riverine areas

Following security concerns, Lagos State government has resolved to ensure that the Traffic Law which prohibits operation of commercial motorcyclists, known also as Okada Riders, on certain routes is enforced. The government also said it was putting measures on ground to curb kidnapping in riverine areas.

The state government on Wednesday showed seriousness about its intentions by setting up a Joint Tactic Squad. The squad is made up of officers of all the security agencies. The target is to intensify security within and around model colleges and all schools in the outskirts, riverine and other vulnerable areas of the state.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr Imohimi Edga, made this known to Government House Correspondents after the monthly Security Council Meeting chaired by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and attended by commanders of security formations operating in the state.

According to Edga, the enforcement of the ban on Okada would take effect after another round of public enlightenment campaign on the dangers and security implications of Okada riders in the state plying restricted routes.

He said, “Security around our coastal areas has also been fortified and the Council deliberated extensively about this particularly as it relates to security of all our Model Colleges and other schools that are situated in vulnerable areas.

“I have taken a tour of all the Model Colleges; all lapses observed have been noted by the Council and the Governor has given instruction that all those lapses be taken care of immediately. We now have Joint Tactic Guards of both the police and the military in all Model schools to heighten security.”

Edga further said that the Council was aware that ‘ember’ months have set in and that there were issues of heightened security across the state. To this effect, he said that government has tried to ensure “there is high visibility of police and other security presence across the state.

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He added, “Government has been taking over spaces across the state. Recall that most of the bridges are being cleared. This effort is geared towards displacing hoodlums who might want to use such areas as hideouts.

“We also talked about the influx of commercial motorcycle operators known as Okada riders. The Council has resolved to enforce the Lagos State Traffic Law prohibiting their operations in certain parts of the state.. The enforcement will come up very soon after a lot of enlightenment because we have noticed that with the ban on commercial motorcyclists in some other states of the federation, there is that tendency that they might want to migrate towards Lagos.”

By Ebere Ndukwu …

 

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