RED LINE RAIL PROJECT: LAGOS TASKFORCE CLAMPS DOWN ON ILLEGAL SQUATTERS, RECALCITRANT COMMERCIAL MOTORCYCLE RIDERS AT FAGBA
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.… Clears Out Shanties, Impounds 359 Okada
The commitment of the Lagos State Task Force to curb the illegal activities of commercial motorcycles popularly known as okada and defiant squatters who erect shanties along the rail tracks came into play today when the Agency confiscated 359 bikes and demolished shanties along the Fagba corridor as a follow-up after the launch of the Red Line Rail project of the Lagos State Government.
The two-day-long operation, led by the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye, covered areas like Fagba Rail Track, Iju-Ishaga, Abbatoir and Pen Cinema resulting in the confiscation of bikes operating on restricted routes, State Highways and Bridges located in those areas.
The Chairman of the Agency disclosed that miscreants who loiter around the abbatoir supported the okada operators in resisting arrest, causing mayhem to prevent the confiscation of the bikes but were subdued by the tactical and combatant superiority of the Lagos State Taskforce.
“It was a complex operation seizing these bikes from their recalcitrant operators due to the presence of miscreants lurking around the abattoir.
They threw stones and objects at us to thwart our efforts but they were no match for our tactical superiority”, Jejeloye stated.
He said the Agency, after a month of launching the Red Line Railway project by the State Government, cleared out shanties that had sprung up again along the Fagba Rail track and confiscated bikes that operate along the tracks.
“The presence of okada and shanties along the rail tracks pose significant safety risks to residents, passersby and commuters who choose to patronise both the train and commercial motorcycle. Clearing them completely improves the aesthetic appeal of the rail area and would also mitigate encroachment on rail infrastructure in the State”, he added.
Jejeloye stated that criminality and hooliganism which are prevalent in the areas are enabled mainly by okada operators and squatters who turn to crime and rob innocent residents and train commuters.
He disclosed that the confiscation of motorcycles would go a long way in reducing crime and incidents of bag snatching as most perpetrators make use of okada as a getaway means.
He further hinted that the fight against the menace of okada is ongoing in every nook and cranny of the State and no stone will be left unturned till that fight is won.
“We will keep going till every okada operator gets the message that Lagos Highways and other restricted routes are no place for okada. If you want to operate Okada, you either abide by the rules or risk having your bikes impounded”, he maintained.
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