Razaq Bamidele
Natural Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has advised the Federal Government to reconsider the proposed ban of Okada service nationwide.
The monarch described the proposed ban as ‘anti-masses’ that could amount to putting salt to injury.
Oba Akanbi urged the government to device digital regulation of Okada services nationwide and not outright ban.
The vocal First Class monarch, in a statement by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibrahim, noted the threat Okada service had posed to the country’s security, but cautioned that the ban has the tendency to further provoke banditry and thievery, expressing the fears that the ban will heighten the unemployment plaguing the country.
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While calling for a rethink on the issue, the monarch also advised that the Okada service should be controlled for effective identification and monitoring of genuine members for easy disclosure of criminals using the service to constitute threat to the security.
Oba Akanbi, who described Okada service as essential most especially to areas of no motorable roads, however, foresaw that, banning Okada will add to hardship of commuters’ mobility.
Oluwo, through the statement further enjoined Okada operator to conduct themselves orderly with proper means of identification, asserting that,
doing such will assist the security operatives in checkmating insecurity and fish out criminals using Okada to perpetrate evil.
The statement went thus, “The security status of Nigeria is fragile. In checkmating the menace, the effect of every decision must be properly examined.
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“The unemployment plaguing Nigeria will add salt to the security injury should the government ban Okada service.
“One of the major factors leading to the insecurity is unemployment. Many graduates resorted to Okada riding to protect their integrity because they don’t want to engage in social vices.
“We can’t judge all because of the few criminals among. Banning Okada service will worsen our security architecture.
“Instead, I will strongly advise the government to regulate the operation of Okada riders to fish out the bad eggs among them. If their activities are well managed and controlled, the executives of the Okada Riders Associations will coordinate themselves and report criminals among them.
“Banning of Okada service will lead to commuters’ mobility hardship. Of what easiness will it be for workers living in remote areas?”
Concluding, the monarch therefore enjoined all Nigerians to be Chief security officers of their respective communities, stating that, “it is one of the most difficult times in the history of the nation, so we should all be security vigilant.
“We will get over it if we so decide,” Oluwo enthused.
