Hausa community leaders in Lagos appeal to Sanwoolu to reconsider his ban on Okadas

LEADERS of the Hausa community in Lagos State have appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwoolu to review his recent ban on Okada commercial motorcycles in six local government areas as the move would deny their members of their livelihood.

 

Last week, Governor Sanwoolu extended the ban on Okadas to Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland and Apapa local government areas and nine local government development areas. Okadas provide a vital transport service in Lagos but they also have drawbacks as they are used for crime and a lot of accidents come from them.

 

Asking for the ban to be relaxed, leaders in the local Hausa community said they contribute significantly to the voting population of Lagos and should not be economically strangulated. Saliu Waziri, the Seriki of Obalende, said the government should rethink its decision and instead get the data of Okada riders in Lagos to fish out any intruder or criminally-minded fellows.

 

Ibrahim Ngoma, the Seriki Hausa of Ajah, added: “Truth be told, Governor Sanwoolu has been understanding with Okada people unlike Governor Fashola. Okada members should obey the law but I will appeal to Governor Sanwoolu to look into the matter and lift the ban before the election because the ban is affecting my people.”

 

Iliyasu Kira, the Seriki Hausa in Shasha in Alimosho Local Government Area, said: “I appeal to the government to leave Okada riders to continue their operations. These Okada riders help the government during elections with votes. Our voting population in Lagos constitutes over 2.7m because most of us vote here in Lagos. We are not all bad people.

 

“Many of our people are Okada riders in Lagos. If the government claims that robbers are rampant among Okada riders, then the government should sieve out the criminals. The government should provide replacement for our members affected by the ban."

 

Governor Sanwoolu said he introduced the ban in response to the growing crime wave across the state carried out by motorcycle riders. He added:  “We will not sit back and watch criminally-minded people use that mode of transportation to perpetrate crimes and criminality in Lagos.

 

"Lives are being lost on a daily basis, preventable accidents are happening every day and the riders are not respecting any of our traffic laws. The situation has led to a complete breakdown of law and order. This ban has come to stay and we will not tolerate any weakness in enforcement.”

 

Advising the government to rethink its decision, the Hausa community leaders said that Lagos cannot operate without bikes because of traffic. They called on the government to register Okada riders in each local government, adding that by doing, the government would know who to contact when any issue arises.

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