Lagos State Government has issued a stern warning to
uniform men flouting the State’s Transport Sector Reform Laws. It is illegal
for any security operative in mufti to ride commercial motorcycles on routes
where Okada and tricycles have been restricted, the Government said on
Wednesday.
The pronouncement was part of the issues discussed
during a security meeting held at the State House in Marina. Governor Babajide
Sanwo-Olu chaired the meeting, which was attended by Commanders of all security
formations in the State.
Briefing the press after the meeting, Commissioner for
Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, said the enforcement of the
restriction order would be executed with more force to completely keep Okada
and tricycles away from the restricted routes.
Members of the Security Council, the Commissioner said,
frowned at a situation in which uniform men flouted the State’s Transport
Sector Reform Laws, warning security operatives, especially police officers and
military personnel, to stop taking passengers on their motorcycles on
restricted routes.
Omotoso said: “We have just concluded the State
Security Council meeting, where we reviewed the ongoing enforcement of Okada
and Keke restriction order in the six Local Government Areas. Matters concerning
uniform men engaging in commercial motorcycle operation came up in our
discussion and there has been an order restricting them from doing that.
“Only a uniform man who is fully kitted and who rides
motorcycle as his own personal mode of transportation is allowed. If any
uniform man ventures into commercial motorcycle operation or Keke, the action
of such a person is illegal and such persons are going to be arrested if they
are caught.”
The Commissioner reiterated that the State would not
relax the laws restricting Okada and tricycles on the highways, praising
Lagosians for standing firm behind the Government in the ongoing enforcement of
the restriction order.
In April, Omotoso said the State Government would be
assuaging the pain being felt by residents by injecting buses of different
sizes and capacities into the public transportation space to serve as
alternative to Okada and Keke.
“We are using this opportunity to inform Lagosians that
the palliatives promised by the Government will be coming very soon, most
likely in April,” the Commissioner said.
Omotoso said the Government was not resting on its oars
in providing required infrastructure that would improve traffic situation and
transportation across the State. He disclosed that the Government would be
holding a ground-breaking ceremony on the long-awaited Red Line rail project,
which, he said, would be held on March 25. He added that updates would also be
shared on the ongoing Blue Line rail project handling by Lagos Metropolitan Area
Transport Authority (LAMATA).
On the closure of Eko Bridge, the Commissioner said the
Government would work assiduously to lessen the pain of commuters plying the
route. He, however, noted that the closure of the bridge was a necessary
precautionary measure taken to avert an incident that may result into loss of
lives.
The commissioner urged residents to continue to support
the government’s efforts at securing the State, stressing that the Sanwo-Olu
administration would deploy all resources to ensure safety of lives and
property in Lagos.
“About security, Lagosians should be rest assured that
Government is on top of the situation and that all is well. Every action we
take is to show that we put the interest of Lagosians at heart and their
welfare is on the front burner at all times,” Omotoso said.
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