The Lagos State Government has said that the ban on commercial motorcycles popularly called ‘okada’ in 10 Local Government Areas, LGAs, and 15 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in the metropolis still persists.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, said this during an unscheduled monitoring of some restricted areas within the state, where large numbers of okada riders had returned.
Some of the restricted areas include Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Somolu, Mushin, Apapa, Ikeja, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Surulere and Eti-Osa.
The Local Council Development Areas under them are; Ojodu, Onigbongbo, Lagos Island East, Yaba and Coker Aguda. With others at; Itire-Ikate, Eti-Osa West, Iru Victoria Island, Ikoyi-Obalende, Ikosi-Isheri, Agboyi-Ketu, Isolo, Ejigbo, Bariga and Odi-Olowo, the Transport Special Adviser urged both riders and passengers to keep off.
He urged the general public to comply as both the riders and passengers are both liable to three years in prison if apprehended and prosecuted, with their motorcycles impounded and crushed in the public view, in line with the provision of Section 46, sub-section 1, 2 and 3 of the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL), 2018.