New Traffic Law: LASG To Crush Seized Okada

The Lagos State Government is set to crush over 3,000 okada seized by the taskforce for violating the provisions of the new road traffic law.

Already, officials of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit had begun the dismantling of the okada at the Taskforce Yard in preparation for their crushing at the Lagos State Crushing Plant in Oshodi, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

Chairman of the Taskforce, Bayo Sulaiman said the seized okada would soon be taken to Oshodi for crushing to serve as deterrent to other okada riders who might want to violate the new traffic law.

“We have started dismantling them. Okada riders must obey our traffic law. They are fond of driving against traffic, on kerbs and several unauthorised places. The law has been passed and gazetted and there is no going back on enforcement.

“This is to inform the operators that the law has started and there is no going back. We are going to crush the one crushable in Oshodi and those that we cannot crush, we will auction them. Over 3,000 okada will be crushed for violating the traffic law. We will not tolerate violating our laws anymore,” he said.

Sulaiman said the government was determined to go all out to ensure that motorcycle operators complied with the dictates of the law.

“The Taskforce has commenced gradual enforcement; we have not even enforced it fully. But this should serve as a warning to them because we won’t hesitate to impound any okada,” he said, adding that the operators were not arrested as most of them abandoned their motorcycles on sighting law enforcement agents and fled.

On the protest embarked upon by okada riders, Sulaiman stated that “They have the right to protest, but the government will be firm in what they do. It doesn’t in any way stop our job, those who intend not to obey the law, we are coming after them. They will be arrested one after the other and we will be out there on a daily basis.”

According to him, “since the law has been passed, those who think they will not obey the law will be punished. No group protest will work. Anyone arrested will face the law of the land. Enforcement has not really started but the compliance level is improving on daily basis.

“The law did not ban okada; it only restricts them. I don’t know why it is difficult for people to obey simple rule.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga