Lagos State Government has announced the replacement of motorcycles and tricycles on Lagos roads with Last Mile vehicles, a move that could potentially throw thousands of operators out of job and create more hardship for commuters.

Gboyega Akosile, spokesman to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in a tweet via his official twitter handle said the state government was going to make a major announcement on motorcycles in a few days.

“A major announcement on Okada by Gov @jidesanwoolu to come in few days. Meanwhile, the Governor has announced that the Last Mile vehicles as replacement for Motorcycles for the inner streets in the State,” He tweeted.

The state government’s move to replace motorcycles with Last Mile Vehicles follows recurring conflicts between motorcycle riders and security agents in the state.

Peoples Gazette on Friday reported how the killing of two Hausa motorcyclists by police officers in Ogba led to a clash between the police and Okada riders.

Multiple sources told The Gazette that the motorcyclists were shot on Thursday over a reason that remains unclear, leading to confrontations between the Hausas and police officers, after the latter prevented other motorcyclists from working.

In February 2020, Governor Sanwo-Olu banned motorcycles and tricycles from plying highways and major routes, restricting their operations to inner streets. 

The ban led to a hike in the price of bus fare and  caused more hardship for Lagosians who were forced to spend more time on the road as a result of the heavy traffic occasioned by the ban of the two vital means of transportation in the state.

Later in 2020, the state government said that it will scrap the operation of motorcycles and tricycles in the state, a plan suspended by the outbreak of COVID-19.

Frederick Oladeinde, the state’s transport commissioner, while announcing the government plans to rid the state of the two common means of transport at the 2020 ministerial press briefing said that motorcycles and tricycles were not part of the state’s structure.

He added that the state was working to implement a first mile and last mile solution as an alternative to motorcycles and tricycles.

It is not immediately clear, how the new transport system would run to ensure ease and affordability for millions of Lagosians.

When contacted for further clarification, Mr Akosile told The Gazette that the state government will be more explicit on its decision in the coming days.