The Lagos State Government has
commenced the process of crushing 3, 000 motorcycles, popularly called
okada, impounded from their owners for violating traffic law.
Officials of the state Taskforce
on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit on Tuesday dismantled
the okadas at the task force yard in Alausa.
The Taskforce Chairman, Bayo
Sulaiman, an Assistant Superintent of Police, said after the end of the
dismantling exercise, the iron parts would be taken to the state Crushing Plant
in Oshodi, where they would be crushed and recycled.
He said the action was to show
that the government had stepped up its enforcement of the state traffic law,
adding that the crushing of the okadas would serve as deterrent to
other commercial motorcycle operators.
Sulaiman said, “These are
okadas impounded since the new traffic law was signed into law. There
are 3, 000 of them. Okada riders must obey our traffic law. They are
fond of driving against traffic, on kerbs and several unauthorised places. The
law has been passed and gazetted and there is no going back on its
enforcement.
“We are dismantling the
okadas now to separate the parts that are crushable from the ones that
are not crushable. After this, we will take the crushable parts to Oshodi
crushing plant, where they will be crushed and recycled. The non-crushable parts
will probably be auctioned, but not in the state.
“The Taskforce has not started
enforcing the law fully. But this should serve as a warning to them because we
won’t hesitate to impound any okada caught on the restricted roads in
the state.”
Sulaiman, however, said there
were no riders to be prosecuted because the owners of the 3, 000 okadas
abandoned them on sighting law enforcement officials.
On Monday’s protest by some of
the riders, Sulaiman said, “They have the right to protest, but the government
will be firm in what it does. It does not in any way stop our job, those who
intend not to obey the law, we are coming after them. The protest is a group
action, but our arrests will be one after the other and we will be out there on
a daily basis.”
According to him, the law has
been passed and those who will not obey the law will be punished.
The task force boss, however, said the law’s
compliance level was improving on a daily basis. He advised the riders to go to
areas where their operations are not restricted.
Source: Punch
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