After a critical review of our restriction on Okada activities in the first six Local Government Areas where we restricted them on February 1, 2020, we have seen that the menace has not abated.
Therefore, we are now directing a total ban on Okada activities across the highways and bridges within six Local Government and their Local Council Development Areas, effective from June 1, 2022.
The affected councils are Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa. The total ban order also extends to all LCDAs under these councils.
This is a phased ban which we are embarking on, and we expect that within the shortest time, this ban will be enforced.
We have given the notice now, and we expect all commercial motorcycles plying the routes in the listed councils and areas vacate the highways before enforcement begins.
We have advised the police to enforce the order without compromise, and we would not condone any security formation that relaxes the new ban in its jurisdiction.
Residents patronising Okada riders on highways should embrace alternative transportation schemes already provided by our administration to plan their journey.
We have provided Last Mile buses in the affected areas; they are working and effective. We also have medium-capacity buses and high-capacity buses working in these areas. Before the end of the year, we are also bringing the rail along these corridors with their terminals. We have provided jetties as well to provide alternatives.
We will not sit back and watch criminally-minded people use a 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.
Press statement from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on May 18, 2022.
