Lagos set to review ban on commercial motorcycle riders (Okada)

Commercial motorcycle riders in Lagos State, western Nigeria, may soon have cause to rejoice as the state House of Assembly has agreed to review some of the roads where their operations had been previously restricted.

This stand by the members of the House followed constant complaints about police harassments and intimidation by the okada riders on approved routes.

The House also called on the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to immediately alert the Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, on the need to urgently call his men to order following complaints about indiscriminate arrest of the riders in their legal areas of operation.

The House said it had become important to revisit the law and list of restricted routes so they could be amended where possible to avoid the conflicts between the police and commercial motorcycle operators which had resulted in alleged exploitation by some of the security agents.

According to the lawmakers, most of whom protested against the way the law enforcement agents had carried out the implementation of the law, the law, as passed in 2012, was aimed at reducing recklessness on the part of road users and not for the purpose of exploitation by those to implement it.

While appealing to motorcycle riders to continue to respect the law, the House said it would do everything to defend them against continued abuse by security and paramilitary agents in the state.

The resolution of the House followed a motion sponsored by 10 lawmakers led by Sanai Agunbiade representing Ikorodu Constituency 1.