• …says motorcycles can’t be preferred choice of taxiing

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola has thrown his weight behind the ban on commercial motorcycles, popularlly referred to as Okada, and Tricycles, also known as Keke Napep or Keke Maruwa, in Lagos State.

He premised his support for the proscription of these means of transportation on an experience he had in 1999 when armed robbers attacked him in his home in Lagos.

The Minister made this disclosure while speaking at the United Action for Change (UAC) Public Lecture on today in Lagos.

“I was robbed in my home, in fact on my bed in 1999. Organised crime is dynamic, criminals are aware that people don’t keep money at home again, now they diversified into kidnapping people for ransom.”

The Governor of the State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu had banned the activities of both the commercial motorcycles and trycycles in six local governments areas (LGAs) and seven local council development areas (LCDAs) of the State.

The affected LGAs include Apapa, Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Surulere; while the affected LCDAs are Apapa Iganmu, Yaba, Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda, Onigbongbo and Ojodu, Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island and Lagos Island East.

Citing security concerns fuelled by criminals using motorcycles to deliver harsh drugs to children, attack banks and other facilities, the former Lagos State Governor stated that motorcycles cannot be preferred choice of taxiing in Lagos, the “Centre of Excellence’.

He called for the deployment of technology in the efforts at assuring security across the State and even the country, appealing to the various attorneys general of the States of the federation and the legislators at both the States and National Assembly to create a legal framework for the use of technology to ensure security of lives and properties in teh country.

“We must have data to identify people. You have SIM cards on your phone. It’s called subscriber identity module which can be tracked everywhere in the world. The attorney-general of each state and legislators should act. “In those days, we used to hav licence for bicycles,”Fashola said.

Fashola called for the return of residents and landlords associations, which according to him, could eliminate criminality in our society.

A two-time Governor of the state, Fashola insisted that okada was not part of the plan for the state, urging Lagos residents to back Sanwo-Olu.

“If you care about security, you should back your governor on okada ban. As a centre of excellence, okada cannot be part of the plan.

“I’ve always held this position. Motorcycle has always been a conduit pipe for the opioid crisis among youths. We must act to eliminate anonymity.”