Lagos State government yesterday placed outright ban on commercial motorcyclists otherwise known as Okada and tricycle operators from plying routes in six local governments and nine local council development areas of the state to curtail increasing number of carnages daily recorded in the various axis.
The state’s commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr Gbenga Omotoso, who disclosed this to journalists at a press briefing in Lagos said the carnages daily recorded in the state from use of motorcycles and tricycles necessitated the ban in the affected areas.
Omotoso said, “After a robust assessment of the debate on what has been widely referred to as the Motorcycle (Okada) and Tricycle (Keke) Menace, the Lagos State Government and the State Security Council have decided that the security and safety of lives of Lagosians are paramount.
‘’The figures are scary.  From 2016 to 2019, there were over 10,000 accidents recorded at the General Hospitals alone.  This number excludes unreported cases and those recorded by other hospitals.  The total number of deaths from reported cases is over 600 as at date.

“The rate of crimes aided by Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) keeps rising.  Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) are also used as getaway means by criminals.
‘’Therefore, after consultations with stakeholders, the State Security Council, in compliance with the extant Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, has decided to commence enforcement of the law which bans the operation of Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) in the following Local Governments (LGs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).’’

The commissioner listed the affected areas to include ‘’Apapa LG and Apapa Iganmu LCDA;Lagos Mainland LG and Yaba LCDA; Surulere LG, Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs; Ikeja LG, Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs; Eti-Osa LG, Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs; Lagos Island LG and Lagos Island East LCDA.’’