OKADA BAN: LAGOS HAUSA LEADERS WARN AGAINST PROTESTS

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By Adeniyi Onaara

Two Hausa leaders in Lagos State have cautioned their followers not to engage in any type of protest over the state’s ban on commercial motorbikes, known as Okadas, in six local government areas.

On Thursday evening, the leaders gave separate interviews to our correspondent.

In a phone chat with The PUNCH, one of the leaders, Iliyasu Kira, claimed that no member will be permitted to protest.

The government’s action, according to Kira, who is the Seriki of Shasha in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, will sanitize the system.

“Our folks are unhappy since the prohibition would hurt them,” he explained, “but we are calming them down.”

We will not allow any protest because the government is superior and nobody should fight the government.

“There are bad eggs amongst Okada riders while there are also good ones but the bad eggs have implicated the good ones by not obeying traffic laws, riding Okada in the middle of the night, using one-way, carrying dangerous weapons etc.

We can only appeal to the government again to reconsider its decision.”

Asked whether the association of Seriki Hausawa in Lagos has met since the fresh ban on Okada by the government, Kira said they have not met on the matter.

Also, the Seriki Hausa of Ajah, Ibrahim Ngoma, said no protest will be allowed in the state as he was dialoguing with his subjects.

He said though the affected area where the task force operated today does not fall under his purview, no protest will be allowed.

Ngoma said, “Right now, nobody is complaining because the law has not taken effect as it will in June. We can’t protest, it is the law of the Lagos State, and we will follow the law. We won’t allow that.”

The leaders had appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reconsider the ban because many Okada riders from the northern region of the country contribute significantly to the voting population of Lagos.

Hotjist had earlier reported that there was pandemonium on Thursday as policemen and motorcycle riders clashed in the Iyana Iba, Alaba, Agric, Barracks ends of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

It was gathered that the clash started after men of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Task Force) and the Rapid Response Squad visited the areas to enforce the state traffic law.

The operatives were said to have seized motorcycles along the expressway and also issued a notice to occupants at the Alaba Rago Market to vacate the premises.

Some of the motorcyclists, however, resisted the seizure of their motorcycles, which led to a face-off between them and the security agents.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said over 200 motorcycles were impounded by the police during the raid.

The Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State declined comments on the matter.