By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Arewa Community (LASACOMM) has backed the state government’s decision on total ban of the operation of commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada on all highways across six local government areas (LGAs) and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
LASACOMM in a commique issued by its Secretary General, Alhaji Musa Saleh at the end of their extra-ordinary meeting, held that the group has unanimously resoved that all their members must comply with the provisions of the laws.
The group condemned the activities of all criminal elements who were mostly foreigners from Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and other neighbouring countries who have infiltrated the ranks of the genuine riders and thereby perpetrating all forms of crime and constituting serious threats to the lives and properties of Lagosians.
LASACOMM called on security agencies to identify and arrest all those criminal elements masquerading as Okada riders. It also tasked the Nigeria Immigration Service to step up its actions along the border line to check influx of those foreign elements coming into the country without genuine intention.
The communique read in part: “We are calling on all well meaning Arewa Community members to comply with our common resolve and avoid the Local Governments of Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Etiosa and Ikeja.
“We will work with the Lagos State Government and the Association of Arewa Okada Riders towards the implementation of extant rules and documentation of all riders in all Local Governments of Lagos State. 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 Governmentto for their support to our developmental programs and are calling on them to support our programs further. These programs include: (i.) Registration, data generation and compliance monitoring,(ii) 2-wheels to 4-wheels upgrade programme for the same costs.”
