Police Arrest 447 Cyclists Impound 607 Bikes

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 447 persons and impounded 607 commercial motorcycles (okada) in the last one week for operating beyond the prescribed hours.

The State Commissioner of Police, Yakubu Alkali, disclosed this yesterday shortly after the State Security Council meeting held at the State House, Ikeja, Lagos, South West Nigeria.

Alkali said that at last week’s meeting, the Council decided to step up enforcement of Okada operations, adding that between then and now, significant progress has been made.

“As we speak now, we have made arrests of 607 motorcycles within the last one week with a contravention of 447 persons; those who we regard as deviants of this okada operation issue. We are determined to take Lagos to the next level and we are not going to relent in this direction.

“We have the mandate of the people to do whatever we are doing and as the constitution of the country demands today. Therefore, this operation is ongoing and will continue.

“We assure all law abiding citizens that they will enjoy more from the fallout of whatever the Security Council is doing. Those who do not want to key into the government aspirations will have more discomfort to contend with,” he said.

“We assure members of the public that law abiding citizens will never be obstructed in whatever they are doing and to also assure those who do not want to abide by the law that we are going to give them more discomfort,” Alkali added.

The police chief also said the Security Council meeting would now be held weekly, saying that the police had commenced operations ahead of the ‘Ember’ months which begin next month.

He assured all law abiding citizens in the state of their safety during the months ahead, noting that the ‘Ember’ months were always visited with a lot of unaccepted conducts of persons who think they must survive at the expense of others.

According to him, the council decided to hold the meeting on a weekly basis in order to provide a more conducive environment for all law abiding people in the state.

“We have decided to be holding the meeting every week until we are satisfied about the level of security and we will continue to sustain the confidence of the people. As you are all aware, the mandate is to provide good governance for citizens in the state and from time to time where situation demands that we hold meetings of this nature. Usually it is supposed to hold once in a month,” he stated.

Among those who were present at the briefing were Director of the State Security Services (SSS); Mr Achu Ben Olayi, the Commanding officer, NNS Beecroft, Navy Base, Apapa; Commodore Jonathan Ango, Commander 9 Brigade, Ikeja; Brigadier General Sanusi Nasiru Muazu, Air Force Commander, 435 BSG Ikeja; Group Captain Ayo Saad Abdulsalam and Senior Special Assistant on Security to the Lagos State Governor, Major Tunde Panox (retd.).

—Kazeem Ugbodaga