By Ibrahim A. Jagaba
Following the recent pronouncement by the executive governor of Lagos state Mr. Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu, banning commercial motorcyclists (Okada), totally from operating in six local governments of the state, the Lagos State Arewa Community (LASACOMM), stakeholders, yesterday, May 22, 2022, rose from an extra ordinary general meeting, with a firm position declaring unambiguous support for every measure put in place by government, to safeguard lives and properties of the generality of Lagosians.
The meeting which was convened by the general secretary of the body in Lagos state, Alhaji Musa Saleh and held at the conference room of the Cozy World Hotels, Acme road, Ogba, had stakeholders and opinion leaders of the Arewa community cutting across different stratas in Lagos, amongst whom was the honorable commissioner for waterfront infrastructure development, Lagos state, Arc Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi, prominent Arewa traditional leaders, northern youth associations in Lagos and Arewa Okada riders, state and local government leaders, to mention a few, in attendance
The meeting in response to the current position of the Lagos state government on the unprecedented excesses of all Okada riders, issued a communique, where it clearly stated firm resolve in support of measures to entrench order and decorum for the good of all citizens in the state as outlined hereunder.
COMMINIQUE
ISSUED AT THE END OF THE EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETING OF THE LAGOS STATE AREWA COMMUNITY GENERAL ASSEMBLY , ON 22nd MAY , 2022.
1. The restriction of commercial Motorcycle ( Okada) operators in some lLocal Governments in Lagos State is not a new law. It has been in existence for over ten years. We resolved today unanimously that all our members must comply with the provisions of the laws of Lagos State. We are law abiding and we will always continue to impress on all our members to continue to be law abiding and operate only within the ambit of the law.
2. We support all measures taken by the Lagos State Government in its efforts towards protecting lives and prosperities of all Lagocians.
3. We condemn in totality the activities of all criminal elements who are mostly foreigners from Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and other Neighbouring countries who have infiltrated the ranks of genuine ridders and thereby perpetrating all forms of crime in Lagos state and are constituting serious threats to the lives and properties of Lagosians.
4. We are calling on the Security Agencies to identify and arrest all those criminal elements masquerading as Okada riders.
5. We are also tasking the Nigeria Immigration Service to step up its actions along the border lines in checking the influx of those foreign elements coming into the country without genuine intention.
6. We are in total commitment and support to the administrative policies of the Lagos State Government towards getting rid of all security threats, promoting peace and tranquility, safeguarding lives and properties of Lagos and the massive provision and development of infrastructural facilities for all Lagosians.
7. We are calling on all well meaning Arewa Community members to comply with our common resolve and avoid the Local Governments of Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Eti-Osa and Ikeja.
8. We will work with the Lagos State Government and the Association of Arewa Okada Riders towards the implementation of extant rules and documentation of all riders in all Local Governments of Lagos State. We must have adequate data on everyone. We call on the Lagos State Government to be vigilant and take proper punitive measures on bad eggs within the security agencies
9. We thank the Lagos State Government for their support to our developmental programs and are calling on them to support our programs further. These programs include:
(i.) Registration, data generation and compliance monitoring.
(ii) 2-wheels to 4-wheels upgrade program for the same course
Signed:
Alhaji Musa Saleh,
Secretary General,
Lagos State Arewa Community (LASACOMM)
It will be recalled that, the Lagos state government had in February, 2020, announced a partial ban in about 15 local governments and LCDA’s in response to unprecedented high rate of crimes accidents and flagrant flouting of the state’s traffic laws as contained in the 2018 reformed traffic laws of the state.
