Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s government says riders and passengers risk spending three years in prison for flouting Lagos’ Okada ban.

Commissioner for transportation Frederick Oladeinde announced during a press conference on Wednesday that commercial motorcycle (Okada) riders and passengers arrested on prohibited routes risk three years’ imprisonment.

On August 18, the Lagos government announced an extension of the Okada ban to four more local government areas and six LCDAs beginning September 1.

The councils and LCDAs are Kosofe (Ikosi-Isheri and Agboyi-Ketu LCDAs), Mushin (Odi-Olowo LCDA), Oshodi (Oshodi-Isolo and Ejigbo LCDAs), and Shomolu (Bariga LCDA).

“Anybody caught riding motorcycle (Okada), both passengers and riders, will be sent to jail for three years. It is backed by the law,” Mr Oladeinde said. As a responsive government, we are not leaving the affected passengers who patronised these commercial (Okada) riders stranded without leaving any viable transport alternatives.”

He suggested that people in the state should trek instead of riding a commercial motorcycle, stressing that “walking and cycling are not a bad idea.” 

“I have never heard where walking kills, but I know when you ride cars, it shortens your lifespan if you do not exercise,” the commissioner said.

The commissioner noted that the ministry and other ministries in the state are working together to empower Okada riders.

But he said, “We are not compromising on the decision which is to further consolidate on the achievements made so far with particular reference to decrease in accidents, crime rates as well as return sanity to the communities within the state.”

According to him, security and law enforcement agencies will be deployed to the new locations to implement and enforce the second phase of Lagos’ total ban on Okada.

The commissioner stressed that the ban was for “combating the monsters that commercial motorcycle (okada) operations have created, so that sanity can return back to the state.”