Okada ban: government to jail riders, passengers apprehended three years

The Lagos State Government announced on Wednesday that anyone caught using an okada in an area where they have been forbidden will face a three-year prison sentence.

Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, the commissioner for transportation, revealed this at a press conference to announce the beginning of full enforcement of the ban on okada riders in four additional local governments.

The new local governments are: Kosofe, with two LCDAs-Ikosi Isheri and Agboyi-Ketu; Oshodi-Isolo with two LCDAs-Isolo and Ejigbo; Shomolu with one LCDA-Bariga and Mushin with one LCDA-Odi-Olowo.

The total ban on okada riders in these LGs begins September 1, 2022.

Oladeinde stated that the government believed that expanding the program to four additional LGs and their LCDAs was the right move in terms of ensuring security and protecting people’s lives and property.

“As a responsive government, we are not leaving the affected passengers who patronise these okadas stranded without any viable means of transportation, that is why we have made available alternative and sustainable means of transportation such as the First and Last Mile Bus Transport Scheme, the BRT Scheme, the Lagos e-hailing taxi Scheme (LAGRIDE) and other acceptable modes of transportation to go about their daily activities.

“As for the riders, we have also made available existing interventions aimed at empowering citizens as an alternative means of livelihood,” he said.

The commissioner declared that the government’s decision and stance on okada were very clear, and that it would not budge from this position, which was to further build on the successes made thus far, specifically with reference to the decline in accident and crime rates as well as the restoration of sanity to the communities within the State.

Oladeinde said the government had directed the Nigeria Police Force, and the Lagos Command with all relevant stakeholders such as the Army, Navy, Air force, other Security and Law enforcement formations within the State to be complemented by the “Anti-Okada Squad”, be deployed to these new locations in a bid to stimulate seamless implementation and enforcement of the phase 2 ban of okada operations in the State.

“We implore the general public to comply as both the rider and passenger are both liable to 3 years in prison if prosecuted, while their motorcycles will be impounded and crushed in the public view, in line with the provision of Section 46, sub-section 1, 2 & 3 of the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL), 2018.

“It is important to inform Lagosians that our help lines are still very active as your feedbacks will further enhance our strategies; as the protection of lives and properties is a collective responsibility of all. For complaint and feedback kindly call any of the following lines: ​09038208154, 09169655855, ​09034810153 and 09033090826.

“Once again, the State Government in addition to the existing ban is now set to effect a total ban on Okada activities in Four (4) new LGs and their LCDAs, effective from 1st September, 2022.

“We implore the general public to join hands together with the state government by complying with the decision of the government geared towards combating the monster that okada operation has created, so that sanity can return to our State,” Oladeinde said.