MANY commuters and commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada operators in the Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of Lagos State, where the government has banned the operations of okada have lamented that the ban has brought untold hardship to them as they are now compelled to trek long distances to get to their final destination, which the government alternative, the First Mile and Last Mile (FMLM) often time do not get to.
According to them, with the bustling population of the state at the seams and the number of commercial buses in the metropolis inadequate to satisfy commuting demands, okada has been a respite.
NaijaTimes’ check round some of the restricted areas showed commuters stranded on the roads due inadequate means of commuting. From Igando to Iyana-Iba-LASU Gate, Mile 2-Oshodi, Toyota-Mile 2, Ojota-Mile 12, Ojodu-Agege, Ijora-Apapa, Ikeja Along-Iyana Ipaja-Abule Egba-Sango Toll Gate, and Yaba-Oyingbo-Idumota, where the operators could always be seen plying in their hundreds, even riding against the traffic (one-way), commuters were seen stranded at bus stops, as they desolate of okada operators, who always populated in their thousands.
Lamenting the impact of the ban, some commuters, whose mode of transportation to their various destinations had been the okada, told our Correspondent that the number of commercial buses and taxis has always been inadequate to satisfy demand.
Many who had been so accustomed to using okada, said they have been forced to trekking long distances to their destinations.
Sharing his experience, Isichei John, a resident of Isuti-Egan in Ikotun-Igando LCDA, who works at the Apapa Port, said, “Yes, okada riders are lawless and can be violent, but they have their very important uses. The ban is a double-edged sword.”
“As you can see, coming into Apapa now is daunting task. Government should always first of provide alternative before implementing a policy that tends to affect the people, especially in terms of infrastructures.
“I am suffering the agony, as I sometimes walking along distance to get to work. The long distance walk makes me tired whenever I get home and I often sleep like a log of wood. So, like I said, it is a double-edge sword. As the operators are affected, so are we the commuters affected. As matter of fact, we (commuters) are more affected by the ban,” he added.
A female commuter, who simply gave her name as Yemisi Olarinde, and resident of Mazamaza, a densely populated community in the Agboju-Amuwo LGA, but works at ASPAMDA-Tradefair said her challenge daily is how she gets to and from her destination, as she was use to commuting with okada, which is swift and convenient.
At the Ikotun roundabout in Ikotun-Igando LCDA, most okada operators that hitherto run Cele Express and Toyota bus stop on the Apapa-Mile 2-Oshodi Expressway and Mushin have resorted to operating within the inner access roads and refused to venture onto the main road for fear of the police.
Only a few dared the consequences as one of them, who identified as Fogo told our Correspondent, “Man die but once. The country is in disarray, everything is grounded. The government is insensitive. They ban okada but they are selling tickets to us through the Agberos. Who dey deceive who.”
For Tukuru, who plies Isuti-Odo to Igando, the ban has worsened harassment and extortion by officer of Nigerian Police, Igando Division, especially at night, when most people are returning home from their various business endeavours.
Narrating his ordeal to NaijaTimes, Tukuru said, “Police dey arrest us well well, especially for night when we suppose work get small money. If dem arrest your okada, dem go say dem dey carry am go Alausa, you go come beg dem. Before dem go release am, dem go collect between N3,000 to N5,000. We go buy ticket almost N3,000, then give Agbero N500 to go front go carry passenger.”
“Last week, dem carry my Okada three times, and to collect am N3,000 every time. No work, dis one wey we dey manage Police no let person see road. I just come back from my village where I go see my family and do Sallah with dem. The okada na hire purchase and the owner dey collect money every week.
Recall that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had on May 18, 2022 announced a total ban of the operation of okada in some local government areas in the state with effect from June 1, 2022.
Sanwo-Olu made the pronouncement at a meeting with all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Area Commanders in the state at the Lagos House, Ikeja.
Last week, no fewer than 29 okada riders were arrested and 300 bikes impounded by the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit also known as TaskForce for ban contravention across Oko-Oba, Airport Road and Abeokuta Expressway axis of the state.
NaijaTimes check revealed that notwithstanding the ban extension, even with the addition of another 25 other Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Council Development Areas (LCDAs), some operators have call bluff the ban as they are seen operating in the restricted areas.
The Chairman of the agency, Shola Jejeloye, a Chief Superintendent of Police, in a statement released by the Director, Press and Public Affairs, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, said that the enforcement of the ban on the activities of okada operations in the restricted areas would be a continuous one.
According to him, “there are still some motorcyclist who are foolhardy and bent on riding their bikes with no regard for the laid down traffic rules of the State.”
He disclosed that though the level of compliance on Abeokuta Expressway is impressive, the agency recorded confiscation of 45 bikes along that axis in the past one week, while 113 bikes were impounded at Oko-Oba and 29 suspects were arrested.
Jejeloye, also said that 15 bikes were siezed at Local Airport Road in Ikeja, while 82 were impounded at Apapa-Oshodi Expressway; 120 bikes were confiscated during the raid in Jakande and Iyana Ejigbo axis during the week long raid.
He stated that during the course of of carrying out their lawful duties, officers of the Agency were provoked by a knife wielding butcher who injured one of the officers.
“The level of compliance of the ban on okada activities is very impressive but we still have some rebellious operators who ply in the evenings or sometimes weekends, thinking we are going to be relaxed at those times.
“We have corrected that thought by impounding the bikes and arresting both riders and passengers who will be made to face the court immediately,” he said.
The Taskforce Chairman further urged his men and officers to gear up for more activities following the recent announcement by the State Government on the inclusion of three LGAs and five LCDAs to the list of banned locations of okada operations.
