Arewa Community to Comply with Ban on Okada in Lagos

Segun James

 As the Lagos State Government’s decision to curb the menace of commercial motorcyclists, otherwise known as Okada, takes effect, the Arewa Community in the state has resolved to comply with the directive.

The decision was contained in a communique issued at the extraordinary meeting of the Lagos State Arewa Community (LASACOMM) General Assembly held yesterday.

 According to communique, which was signed by the  Secretary General, Lagos State Arewa Community, Alhaji Musa Saleh, “The restriction of Commercial Motorcycle (Okada) operators in some local governments in Lagos State is not a new law. It has been in existence for over 10 years. We resolved  unanimously that all our members must comply with the provisions of the laws of Lagos State. We are law-abiding and we will always continue to intimate on all our members to continue to be law-abiding and operate only within the ambits of the law.”

The community said that they support all measures taken by the Lagos State Government in the efforts to protect lives and property in Lagos.

The condemned  in totality the activities of all criminal elements, whom they said were  mostly foreigners from Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and other neighbouring countries.

“They have infiltrated the ranks of genuine riders and thereby perpetrating all forms of crime in Lagos state and are constituting serious threats to the lives and properties of Lagosians,”  they said.   

While calling on the security agencies to identify and arrest criminal elements masquerading as Okada riders, they also “tasked the Nigeria Immigration Service to step up its actions along the borderline in checking the influx of those foreign elements coming into the Country without genuine intention.”   

“We are in total commitment and support to the administrative policies of the Lagos State Government in getting rid of all security threats, promoting peace and tranquility, safeguarding lives and properties of Lagosians, and the massive provision and development of infrastructures facilities for all Lagosians.

“We are calling on all well-meaning Arewa Community members to comply with our common resolve and avoid the Local Governments of Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Etiosa and Ikeja.

“We will work with the Lagos State Government and the Association of Arewa Okada Riders towards the implementation of extant rules and documentation of all riders in all Local Governments of Lagos State. We must have adequate data on everyone. We call on the Lagos State Government to be vigilant and take proper punitive measures on bad eggs within the security agencies.”