Governor Bello Mattawale of Zamfara State has banned the riding of motorcycles from 8pm to 6am in Gusau, the state capital.
He directed the security personnel to shoot on sight anyone found violating the new order. The measure, according to the governor, was taken by the security council, following reports on the use of motorcycles by bandits and other criminals to perpetrate their criminal activities within the state capital and its outskirts.
“Considering the recent invasion of bandits in some areas on the outskirts of Gusau, the state capital, riding of motorcycles is, hereby, banned from 8pm to 6am in all areas and outskirts of Gusau town.
“The areas include Mareri, Damba, Tsunami, Tsauni, Barakallahu, Samaru, Gada Biyu and Janyau East. Security forces are, hereby, ordered to shoot anyone riding a motorcycle between 8pm and 6am on the outskirt of Gusau, who refuses to stop when ordered to do so by them.
“Meanwhile, members of the public have been implored to be vigilant in their localities and report to security agencies any suspicious person or strange movement in their respective communities.
“The measure is to checkmate terrorists and criminals as part of the government’s efforts to tackle insecurity in the state. Government was very much concerned over usage of hotels by terrorists and criminals to perpetrate their heinous activities in the State. The state government will not take it lightly with any one found disturbing the peace and security of the people,” he said.
The governor stressed that the security of lives and property of the citizenry was the basic function of any government.
‘My administration is doing everything humanly possible, in accordance with the laws of the land, to ensure the discharge of this responsibility,” Matawalle concluded.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government is considering a total ban of commercial motorcycles in all local government areas of the state. The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, made the disclosure, yesterday, at a stakeholders forum organised to review the ban on commercial motorcycles in parts of the state.
Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu had, on June 1, banned the operation of commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada, in six local government areas and nine LCDAs.
The six local governments are Ikeja, Surulere, Eti-Osa, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island and Apapa.
Omotosho said after seeing the results of the ban in the six local government areas, the people of Lagos had been calling on the government to expand the ban.
“Some people have suggested that the ban should be statewide, considering the present anxiety over security,” he added.
He said the forum was to take stock of government’s decision on the ban and agree on the next step to take.
He recalled the criticisms that initially trailed the ban, “based largely on sentiments of those who had not witnessed the havoc some of the Okada riders caused in the areas of health and security.
“Residents were being robbed of their belongings by robbers who used motorcycles to flee scenes of crimes. Our public hospitals were being filled with victims of Okada accidents, doctors had their hands full at emergency wards, and hoodlums who rode unregistered motorbikes posed great security risks.”
The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, said that the ban has recorded significant successes and compliance. He said in the affected areas, within the period under review, available records showed that crime and accidents has reduced drastically.
Oladeinde said the government was already working round the clock to secure the state. He said the focus on Okada operators was due to their non-compliance to traffic rules and regulations, and being used for robbery, kidnapping, arms supply and attack on citizens.
He said the forum was expected to re-ignite the state’s commitment to tackling traffic rules violations and criminals operating as commercial riders.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, said the forum should come up with suggestions to guide the government on steps to take on the operation of Okada riders.