Fred Itua, Abuja
FEDERAL Capital Territory Ministerial Enforcement Task Force on CO- VID-19 Restrictions has arrested 29
commercial motorcycle operators, popularly called Okada riders who were on their way to Lagos.
The team said the motorcyclists
were hiding in a truck with registration number LFA 837 ZX, which
left Lafia in Nasarawa State, but was
intercepted yesterday at the AYA
Bridge in Asokoro District of the FCT.
Driver of the truck, Samaila Samiya, said
he was carrying fine stones used in making
marbles and tiles loaded in Taraba State and
was heading to Lagos, but that on getting to
Lafia, he decided to pick passengers after they
agreed to pay N2,000.
Musa Simon, a passenger on the truck, said
he was a commercial motorcyclist who left Lagos in the wake of COVID-19 lockdown and
was returning with others apprehended to
resume work following threats by motorcycle
owners to sell off their motorcycles should
they fail to resume work.
Addressing newsmen in Eagle Square
where those arrested were arraigned before
a Mobile Court, Chairman of the Task force
team, Attah Ikharo, lamented that “despite the
series of arrests, prosecution and turning back
of violators by the FCT Administration, many
persons are yet to fully comply with the Presidential directive on inter-state travel ban.”
He said the truck and all its non-human
contents would be impounded until the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.