Ayodele Olalere
When Lagos State government announced, on February 1, the ban on commercial motorcycles and tricycles on major highways and bridges, many Lagosians condemned the decision.
Okada had become a major means of transportation within the state owing to endless and chaotic traffic situation the state is known for. Therefore, the decision by the state government was a blow to Lagosians who were apprehensive on how to cope with the situation.
The state government had hinged its decision on security and desire to protect the lives of Lagosians, claiming many of the accidents recorded in the state were caused by Okada riders.
It therefore banned them from operating in 15 local government areas, major highways and bridges.
Some of the banned routes are Apapa Oshodi expressway, Mile 2, Oshodi Abeokuta expressway, Lagos Ikorodu expressway, Surulere bridge, and the rest.
As soon as the announcement was made, there was total compliance by the operators as they moved away from the banned routes. Lagosians were stranded, with many walking long distances to their destinations.
Cost of transportation also increased by 200% as the few commercial buses capitalised on the situation to hike prices. To Lagosians and the okada operators, the situation was unbearable.
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Law enforcement agencies also swam into action, arresting and intimidating any okada operators found to have disobeyed the order. Sanity seems to have been restored.
However, as with many other instances where government makes law but fails to implement it to the latter, many Lagosians were optimistic that the ban would not last as the operators would soon be back on the highways.
The Nigerian Xpress findings revealed the operators are truly back, back to where they had been driven away, operating with such brazenness as never before.
At the Apapa Oshodi expressway, the okada riders now operates like before, charging between N300 and N400 for a ride from Mile 2 to Cele bus stop and N1000 from Mile 2 to Toyota bus stop.
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On the Mile 2 bridge, one of the banned bridges, Okada riders are back in large numbers, operating freely while police officers look away.
On Lagos Badagry expressway, also one of the supposed banned routes, the situation is the same as okada riders still operates in large numbers, not minding the threat from the state government.
On Funsho Williams avenue, down to Maryland, few still operates and charges up to N1000 from Ojuelegba to Maryland bus stop.
At Ijora bridge, The Nigerian Xpress sighted some okada riders operating and charges as much as N700 to Apongbon.
While there seems to be total compliance in places like Ikeja, Lagos Abeokuta expressway, yet the riders seems to have defile the state government order in many of the banned routes.
Some of the operators who spoke with The Nigerian Xpress out of fear said they can not stop operating as its their only means of livelihood. They expressed confidence that the clampdown on their operation would soon be eased by the state government as ” it has always happened in the past.”
“No matter what the government do, we will continue to operate. They will soon come down, how many okada are they going to pack,” says one of the operators at Mile 2 bridge.
“Na gra gra Sanwo-Olu dey do before, their body go soon come down,” says another in pidgin throwing jabs at the state governor.
