Leaders of the Arewa Community in Lagos State say they were in support of the commercial motorcycle (Okada) ban in some areas in the state, urging their members to comply with the law.
Their position was made known in a communique signed by Alhaji Musa Saleh, Secretary-General, after their extraordinary general meeting on Sunday, May 22, 2022.
Recall that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday imposed a total ban on commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, on all highways across six local government areas and nine local council development areas.
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The affected areas are Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland and Apapa.
The said the restriction of commercial operators in some LGAs in Lagos State was not a new law.
“We have resolved today, 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 all our members to continue to be law abiding and operate only within the ambits of the law.
“We support all the measures taken by the Lagos State Government in its efforts to protect the lives and property of all Lagos residents,” they said.
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The leaders condemned the activities of criminal elements, who were mostly nationals of other neighbouring countries.
They said, “these foreigners have infiltrated the ranks of those genuine riders, thereby perpetrating all forms of crimes in the state.
“They are constituting serious threats to the lives and property of Lagos residents.
“We are calling on the security agencies to identify and arrest all those criminal elements masquerading as Okada riders.
“We are also tasking the Nigeria Immigration Service to step up its actions along the borders to check the influx of those foreign elements,” they said.
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The Arewa leaders said they were in total support of the policies of the state government aimed at curbing all security threats, as well as promote peace and tranquility.
They called on all Arewa Community members to comply with the law and avoid the six areas affected by the ban.
The leaders promised to work with the government and the Association of Arewa Okada Riders towards the implementation of extant rules and ensure the documentation of all riders in all LGAs.
“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.
“We thank the Lagos State Government for its support to our developmental programmes,” they added.
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