The Chairman of Lagos State Task Force, Mr. OlayinkaEgbeyemi, has vowed that his Agency is committed to the enforcement of Road Traffic Law of 2012, whiich also specifies some restricted routes forbidden for commercial motorcyclists popularly called Okada operators in the state.
Egbeyemi stated this in a statement issued and signed in Lagos on Sunday by Head of Public Affairs Unit of the Agency, Mr. Taofiq Adebayo, copy of which was specifically sent to The DEFENDER.
Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), according to the statement, stated this while reacting to an incidence around Mile 2 area on Thursday, where a sister agency aided miscreants and hoodlums to attack and remove four out of 20 impounded motorcycles from the Agency’s truck while conveying them from Apapa to Task Force crush yard.
He further stated that a Police Station along the Apapa Expressway requested for the Agency’s truck to convey 20 impounded motorcycles by their officers to Task Force crush yard.
SP Egbeyemi explained that “while the truck was conveying these 20 impounded motorcycles, a sister Agency blocked the road with their vehicles around Mile 2 area and allowed miscreants and hoodlums to removed 4 out of these 20 impounded motorcycles.”
According to Egbeyemi “there must be a synergy between all security agencies of government in order to collectively fight the menace of these motorcycle operators on all restricted routes across Lagos State.
He confirmed that Nigeria Police Divisions across the state had been collaborating with the Agency by impounding motorcycles plying restricted routes around their respective areas.
Reacting to the incidence of the previous day, security operatives of the Agency on Friday invaded Second Rainbow along Mile 2 area including Festac and impounded 163 motorcycles with 29 riders arrested.
SP Egbeyemi disclosed that there were series of complaints from members of the public on criminal activities perpetuated by some of the motorcycle operators.
He disclosed further that residents complained of snatching of bags, phones, wallets and jewelleries around the areas at night.
He advised members of the public to desist from patronising commercial motorcycle operators on restricted routes as anyone arrested will be prosecuted in accordance with the Law.
The Chairman however disclosed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Acting CP Edgal Imohimi, has directed that 29 arrested motorcycle operators be immediately charged to court for prosecution.
Applauding the Agency’s efforts towards eradicating activities of motorcyclists on restricted routes, a concerned citizen, Alhaji Lukumon Lateef, commended the Agency for responding promptly to thier complaints.
He said people living around Second Rainbow area and Mile 2 Estate towards Festac could no longer sleep with their eyes closed due to criminal activities perpetuated by some of the said motorcycle operators.
Alhaji Lateef however confirmed that “most of these commercial motorcycle operators are illegal immigrants from neighbouring West African countries who could not communicate in English.”
