Okada Ban: Accidents, Crime On The Decline – Police, SSA On Transportation To Fashola

The recent ban of motorcycle operators popularly called ‘Okada’ on 475 routes in Lagos may have started yielding the desired results if statistics churned out by the state government and police command is anything to go by.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation Mr. Sola Giwa, said, “Definitely, there were a lot of accidents caused by commercial motorcyclists in the Lagos metropolis before the restriction. Since the restriction on the 475 routes has begun, it is expected the rate of accidents will reduce and it actually has, although we are more concerned with the rate of compliance. And I can confidently tell you that the response has been great and we are definitely getting there.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, also confirmed the reduction of crimes involving motorcycles since the enforcement began.

She said, “I can tell you that the rate of crime via okada has reduced drastically. Before the ban, I was getting reports of such incidents on a daily basis in my situation reports. Presently, I hardly get such reports; it has reduced drastically now. So, things are much improved.”

During the State’s Security Council meeting, the Lagos State Deputy Commissioner of Police for Operations, Mr. Tunde Sobulo, had on Wednesday announced the reduction in crime by motorcycle operators since the enforcement of the restriction on 475 routes.

Sobulo said, “The incidence of somebody taking an okada for N3000 from Iyana-Ipaja to go and rob in Lekki or Victoria Island has been curtailed. I thank the members of the public for their show of understanding on the issue; security agencies are getting the cooperation of the people on the enforcement.

“The accidents involving okada have been nearly reduced to zero. The use of okada to rob during traffic after closing hours has been reduced or even disappeared. Trailing people from banks to their houses via okada to go and snatch their money has also disappeared.”