The ban of commercial motorcycles in specified parts of the Lagos City-State goes into effect today, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. These cover six local government areas, LGAs, and nine local council development areas, LCDAs, in Eti Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland and Apapa. It also includes the city’s trunk roads and flyover bridges.
The previous administration of Babatunde Fashola was the first to take stern legislative and executive actions against the menace of Okada riders in the state. But the momentum was lost during the governorship of Akinwumi Ambode .
The menace gathered greater force when strange elements from neighbouring countries such as Niger Republic, Chad and Northern Cameroon joined the mass movement of Northern Nigerians to the South in the last three years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most of the Okada operators in the Apapa, Lagos Island, Lekki and Ikeja area are armed and ready to kill anyone that crosses their path. One such recent incident was the killing and setting ablaze of David Imoh in Lekki Phase 1. Okada men had also killed Superintendent of Police, CSP, Kazeem Abonde, in Ajao Estate on September 24, 2021 during an enforcement activity.
