9th May, 2012
The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye has warned all commercial motorcycle operators popularly known as okada riders to always obey all traffic rules, as violations of those rules will be tantamount to facing the wrath of the law.
Ipaye gave this warning while reacting to the case filed against the State Government by okada riders at the Federal High Court asking the court to restrain law enforcement agencies from arresting them and release their seized okadas.
The Attorney- General said motorcycle is a means of transportation and like every other means of transportation, must be licensed and operate legitimately.
“The okada operators must have rider’s permit and their motorcycles must have commercial plate numbers. It is illegal for motorcycles without the commercial plate number to be used for okada business,” he added.
Ipaye said that the law does not permit anyone to jump on an okada and start doing business without following due process.
He said that most okada riders do not obey traffic rules as they take the BRT lane which is meant for BRT buses; drive against the traffic and do not have regards for traffic lights, warning that the State Government will not condone such act of lawlessness.
The Attorney-General emphasized the need for the okada operators to always obey traffic rules and regulations, reiterating that “there are rules and regulations for commercial transport and these rules must be obeyed, if the okada riders do not obey these rules, the law enforcement agencies will arrest them for breach of the laws.”
He said that the State Government do not arrest okada riders arbitrarily, but only arrest those who contravene the law.
By Henry Ojelu