The Umpteenth Ban on Okada in Lagos

Chiemelie Ezeobi, Sunday Ehigiator and Oluwabunmi Fache report that for the umpteenth time, the Lagos State Police Command, recently kicked off full enforcement of the restriction order against commercial motorcycles in six local governments ares, nine LCDAs, 10 highways, 40 bridges and flyovers, as part of efforts to return sanity to the state

Lagos wears the toga of a mega city but is burdened by high cost of living, traffic snarls, bad roads, epileptic power supply, and chaos on the roads. The latter is often caused by reckless commercial motorcycle riders popularly known as Okada.

The advent of okada as an alternative means of transportation was caused by the perennial traffic snarls that has bedeviled the state since its creation more than five decades ago.

For any society to thrive, transportation is one of the key factors because it is pivotal to the economy. The reason is simple- the efficiency at which people, goods and services can move from one point to the other largely determines the quality of life of the society.

For Lagos, which boasts as the largest metropolis in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, as well as currently estimated to be the 7th fastest growing city in the world with its population of 22 million people, the perennial traffic has become a huge challenge to the state traffic management and transportation system.

With the entrance of okada, a name gotten from the defunct Okada Airways, these breed of okada riders have in no small measure contributed to the chaos in the mega city, also touted to be the commercial nerve centre of the nation.

Given the chaos and its resultant negative effects like accidents and deaths, the state government resorted to reinforce the ban by former administrations, which prohibits okada riders from six local governments, nine LCDAs, 10 highways, 40 bridges and flyovers. Also affected by the ban were commercial tricycle riders popularly known as Keke.

Also, the rate of crimes aided by Okada and Keke keeps rising as they are used as getaway means by criminals, hence the recent ban.

Old Order

It was in 2010 during the administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola, that the government came all out guns blazing in a bid to ban commercial motorcycles. Given the fight they had at their hands in a bid to enforce the ban, the government went to the drawing board and thus the 2012 Lagos Traffic Law was borne.

This law saw to the prohibition of driving motorcycles on 475 out of 9100 roads in that state. The government of the day had said the need for the ban was because from the statistics compiled in government hospitals, an average of 16 okada-related deaths were recorded per month and 646 okada-accident related injuries per month.

Then came Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration. Barely three months after his elections, he had asked commercial motorcyclists to desist from operating on the 475 restricted routes across the state in compliance with Lagos Road Traffic Law, 2012. The then permanent secretary, Ministry of Transportation, had made this disclosure at a news conference in Alausa.

After consultations with stakeholders, the State Security Council, in compliance with the extant Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, decided to commence enforcement of the law which bans the operation of Okada and Keke in six LGAs and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

What the Law Stipulates

The various laws regulating their operations as contained in Section 3 of the Road Traffic Law stipulates that they desist from plying any of the 475 roads, including highways and bridges restricted for their operations out of the 9, 200 roads in the state. The Law on motorcycle operation in the state is sacrosanct.

Thus, anyone found to have violated the Law will be dealt with in accordance with the Road Traffic Law, RTL 2012 Section 3 Subsection 5 which stipulates that “Any person who fails to comply with any of the provisions of this Section commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to: imprisonment for a term of three (3) years or render community service in accordance with the provisions of Section 347 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State and have his vehicle forfeited to the state.

Contained in Section 3 and Regulation 16 Sub-Section 4, 5 and 6 of the 2012 Road Traffic Law, the guidelines also stipulates the wearing of standard crash helmet with full protection for both rider and passenger.

It also prohibits the carrying of more than one passenger, carrying of children and pregnant women and also operation of okada beyond 8pm in Victoria Island, IKoyi and Ikeja and 10pm in other areas of the state.

It also strongly warns against riding of motorcycles on the kerb, median or road setbacks or in a direction prohibited by law and expects respect for all traffic laws and regulations.

Recent Ban

Given the continued menace okada and tricycles pose, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, recently ordered officers and tactical commanders of the command to immediately embark on full enforcement of restriction order of the state government.

While reacting to what he described as an “act of lawlessness, recklessness and impunity being exhibited by some road users especially Okada riders” in some parts of the state, the police boss particularly ordered officers and men of the command to go after road users including Okada operators who drive against the traffic and ply BRT corridors. He emphasised that the violators should be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

While also appealing to residents of the state to desist from violating traffic laws, he said the command will implement the full enforcement of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 and other extant laws of Lagos State.

Partial Enforcement

Kicking off enforcement, the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) last week impounded 57 motorcycles from riders plying prohibited routes in Costain, CMS and Lekki. Led by the Taskforce Chairman, CSP Shola Jejeloye said the agency would intensify its enforcement of Lagos State Traffic Law 2018.

Alternative

Prior to this ban, the Lagos State government in May unveiled plans to phase out Okada and tricycles with Last Mile Buses. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had noted that the government has seen the danger motorcycles and tricycles pose on Lagos roads, thus the plans to eradicate them.

According to him, at the inception of his administration, the first priority in the developmental plan as encapsulated in the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda is anchored on tackling the challenge of transportation, which has made imperative the need to develop a functional and effective intermodal transportation system in Lagos.

The First and Last Mile Bus project is therefore an integral part of the resolve to bequeath a befitting transportation system that is reflective of the mega city status of the state. The scheme, which is a key part of the Bus Reform Initiative, is a modular concept to enhance both motorised and non motorised (including walkways) transportation of commuters to/from their origin and final destination.

Considered as community based routes within a distance of 3-4 kilometers, which are currently served by tricycles and motorcycles, bus users will not pay cash for transportation fare, but debit cards will be made available for all. The debit card is known as Cairo and the bus routes, Lagos Island, Agege, Surelere, Iyana Ipaja, Ikorudu just to mention but few.

To kick off the scheme, the state government facilitated the provision of 2000 buses, in collaboration with the private sector, to be operational in phases over the next six months. Already some are on the roads.

Potential Cash Cow for Police

Meanwhile, Lagosians and operators alike have bemoaned the fact that the ban will become the proverbial cash cow for the police. This was witnessed in the past when such bans enriched the pockets of the police, who arrest and release after being paid.

On this, CP Odumosu warned the police operatives and teams who are detailed for the enforcement order operation to act within the ambit of the law and discharge their duties devoid of extortion or corrupt practices in any form “as such will not be tolerated by the command”.

For now, Lagos residents wait with bated breathe to know if the recent ban would go the way others did. But at the moment, commercial motorcycles and tricycles are still having a field day across Lagos.