The Lagos State Government has ordered commercial motorcycle operators popularly known as okada riders out of the 475 restricted routes across the state in a renewed attempt to check their excesses. In 2012, the Lagos State Government banned okada riders from plying 475 roads in the metropolis, but in recent time, okada riders are fully back on the restricted routes.
At a news conference in Alausa, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, on Thursday, the government frowned at the rate the riders are flouting the traffic law of the state, saying that government would no longer fold its hands and allow the impunity to continue.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Oluseyi Coker said okada riders are restricted from plying 475 roads out of the 9,100 roads in the metropolis in accordance with the Road Traffic Law of Lagos State. He said due to the enforcement of the provisions of the 2012 Road Traffic Law, the state witnessed over 81% reduction in the number of motorcycle-related accidents reported in the state’s public health institutions and over 80% reduction in motorcycle-related deaths reported at public hospitals.
He added that okada-related deaths had been drastically reduced from 192 per year to a maximum of 6 per year, saying that “we have saved about 465 lives since October 2012 to date. We have also prevented an average of 476 motorcycle-related injuries monthly and 5,712 yearly. By implication, we have prevented a total of 14,220 motorcycle accident-related injuries since 2012.”
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