Okada Ban Begins Today, Lagos Deploys More Boats

The new ban imposed on operations of commercial motorcycles, called Okada, in six Local Governments and nine local council development areas of Lagos State by the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is effective from Wednesday (today).

Sanwo-Olu, had on May 18, 2022, announced the ban at a meeting with the state Commissioner of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers at the State House in Alausa.

Effective from June 1, 2022, the governor ordered security operatives to enforce the proscription order across the councils: Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa.

As the enforcement commences, the Lagos Ferry Services stated that it has deployed more boats and increased daily operational trips at terminals and jetties located within areas in the state where activities of commercial motorcyclists have been banned.

The Head, Public Affairs, LAGFERRY, Akeem Odusina, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The terminal and jetties, according to the statement, include the Badore terminal, Badore; Ipakodo terminal, Ikorodu; Five Cowries terminal, Ikoyi; CMS/Victoria Island terminal; Liverpool terminal, Apapa and Ilaje Bariga terminal, Bariga.

In the statement, Odusina noted that “traveling by water is 100 per cent traffic-free and there are first-mile and last-mile buses available at the terminal/jetty parks to take passengers to their final destination.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has said there is no need for any anxiety over the planned enforcement of the Okada ban.

According to the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, measures have been put in place to avoid any disturbance. He further said that the ban will be enforced without any compromise.

“There is no need for any anxiety over the enforcement of the ban, which has been hailed by the majority of Lagosians as a reinforcement of the Lagos Traffic Law 2012 (amended in 2018),” the statement partly read.