The Lagos State Government says it has arrested 10 riders of the new commercial motorcycles outfits known as ‘GOKADA’ and ‘MAXOKADA’ and impounded 23 other motorcycles for allegedly violating the restricted routes law.
The Chairman of Lagos State Environmental Task Force, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, confirmed the arrests and seizures in a statement issued on Tuesday through the agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Mr Taofiq Adebayo.
GOKADA and MAXOKADA are providers of new motorbike hauling services in Lagos. They use 200cc motorbikes that are allowed to move on major roads in Lagos unlike the conventional 100cc motorbikes.
Egbeyemi said the arrests were made around Ikeja, Ojota, and Maryland during enforcement operations on motorcyclists operating on restricted routes, including one-way.
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He said that out of 115 motorcycles impounded during the enforcement operations, 22 were branded commercial ‘Gokada and Maxokada’.
The chairman said that activities of the newly branded commercial motorcyclists were illegal as they were without any valid documents from the state government.
Egbeyemi said that no commercial motorcycle operator was allowed to operate around 475 restricted routes, including highways and bridges across the state.
“The government enjoined members of the public to henceforth desist from patronising commercial motorcyclists on all restricted routes as passengers are as well liable for prosecutions.
“It is an eye-sore seeing operators of these newly branded commercial motorcycles (Gokada/Maxokada) competing for right of ways with motorists on highways and bridges across the state,” he said.
Egbeyemi said that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu, had ordered for the immediate prosecution of 10 arrested riders in court. (NAN)
