Traffic Law: Lagos to Crush over 4,000 Impounded Commercial Motorcycles

The Lagos State Government monday said it had concluded plans to commence the crushing and recycling of over 4,000 impounded commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada, in line with the provisions of the state Traffic Law 2012.

Disclosing this to journalists at the Olusosun refuse dump site in Ojota, the State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said the recent clampdown on Okada across the state was a fall out of the government’s resolve to address the security concerns posed by their operations, saying that criminals are in the habit of using Okada to perpetrate crime and get away.

The Lagos Traffic Law 2012 prohibits the operations of Okada and tricycles also known as Keke Marwa in certain routes and areas across the state.

He said the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, had directed that the police and other security agencies concerned redouble efforts to ensure the law is complied with, assuring that the clampdown will be sustained vigorously on a daily basis.

He said: “It would not be one off. So far, we have impounded about 500 motorcycles since we started our renewed efforts and we now have a total of about 4,000 bikes ready to be crushed. The law made provisions on how those motorcycles should be handled and the law also made provision on how to handle those that have flouted the law itself.”

According to Owoseni, the decision to crush and recycle the impounded motorcycles was in accordance with the provision of the law

Owoseni said aside impounding the motorcycles and tricycles, the enforcement would also clampdown on the operators and residents who patronise them, adding that mobile courts would be instituted to try arrested offenders.