Wale Jagun
The Lagos State Taskforce has vowed to bring the operations of recalcitrant okada operators in the State to a complete halt as it carried out a week-long raid across various parts of the metropolis.
The Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye, who led the exercise, disclosed that the illegal activities of okada operators along some Highways in the State have continually put the lives of commuters along those axes in harm’s way.
“We have taken it upon ourselves to end okada operations in the State and we are putting all mechanisms in place to ensure we achieve this goal. There is a ban on their activities along selected routes and Local Governments Areas in Lagos therefore they should not be allowed to operate as they please”, he said.
Jejeloye further stated that the raid in the Abule Ado axis saw them impound 174 bikes, Lagos Island 50 bikes, and Berger/Grammar School 50 bikes while 70 bikes were impounded in the Abule Egba axis.
He also sounded a note of warning to uniform men and urged them to obey extant rules and regulations of the State regarding okada operations or be prosecuted.
“There will be no sacred cows in the enforcement of okada operations in the State, therefore, any uniform man caught conveying passengers on a bike for commercial purposes will be thoroughly dealt with. We should be the ones setting the right examples, not breaking them. It will no longer be business as usual”.
He also stated that stubborn okada operators should not test the might of enforcement compliance of the Agency as it is more determined than ever to eradicate their activities for good. Consequently, any operator found wanting will be severely dealt with according to the laws of the State.
“It is our resolve in Y2024 to ensure that the terminal end of every enforcement is the court. The fixed mindset of all environmental and traffic violators who think they can get away with every infraction through ‘man-know-man’ or ‘godfatherism’ will not be tolerated. Enough is Enough”, he added.
Jejeloye, therefore, enjoined Lagosians to work together with the State Government and her Agencies in ensuring that mischief makers do not derail the vision and mission of the State Government as enshrined in the THEMES Plus Agenda of the present administration. He appealed to residents to desist from patronising okada operators plying banned routes to make the roads safe and motorable for all.
