° No life lost, 24 arrested –Police
° Govt rolls out 65 buses.
Three persons were feared killed while several others were injured as Policemen and tricycle operators clashed in Ijora area of Lagos. Tricycle operator and commercial motorcycle operators (Okada riders), had taken to the streets of Lagos, protesting the restriction on them by the State government on some routes and Local Government Areas.
The police were alleged to have accosted the protesters who made a bonfire on the roads and engaged them in a fight that left three persons dead while many others sustained injuries.The victims included: a student, a woman in an Ilorin bound vehicle, and a tricycle operator.The police public relations officer DSP Bala Elkana, denied the alleged killing, saying that no casualty was recorded.But witnesses said the victims were hit by bullets as policemen attached to Badia division shot sporadically to scare the protesters.Some tricycle operators and Okada riders had reportedly gathered at the Ijora causeway axis of Apapa road, setting bonfire to protest the restriction order by the State Government on them.
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The protesters were alleged to have vandalised some vehicles including that of a policeman.Having been dispersed from the earlier spot, it was learnt that the protesters regrouped at the front of the secretariat of Apapa Iganmu LCDA, along Gaskiya road, where they were also chased away by the cops.It was, however, gathered that the protest escalated to Ajegunle area of the State as Keke and Okada riders prevented commercial vehicles from carrying out their duties.An Okada rider, Val,
said:
” There is no work in the country. The only lucrative work is a crime, but we decided to be useful to ourselves by picking Okada, and Keke driving, today the government has denied us and our families of means of livelihood. Is the government telling us to go into crime? We won’t allow vehicle drivers to operate, because instead of them to be in solidarity with us, they are busy jubilating and carrying passengers.Meanwhile, It was a harrowing experience for commuters workers, traders, students, artisans and others across several councils and LCDAs who had to trek different kilometres to get to their various destinations as the ban on Okada and Keke took its tolls, on them.
The government has begun enforcement of the extant Transport Sector Reform Law 2018 which banned the operation of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in some local governments and local council development areas, in February. Following their sad experiences, both commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators and commuters have appealed to the government to reconsider the ban on “Keke” and “Okada” on major highways and bridges. The Lagos State government last week, while announcing the restriction of operations of both Okada and Keke to certain areas of the state, lamented that the operations of both Keke and Okada have claimed 600 lives in three years in the state. Governor Babajide San-Olu, who described ”Okada and Keke’ operation as a menace, also disclosed that available data for three years, (between 2016 to 2019) on accidents and deaths arising from the system of transportation was scarce.
The restriction was fully implemented in the 15 local council areas of the state, with residents lamenting the order.”As much as I appreciate the good intention of the state government, but the hardship on the resident, particularly commuters is unbearable”, Sola Omitogun lamented as he trekked from Ikeja-Along to Haco Bus Stop, Ikeja, the state capital.Another commuter, Ebenezer Aramide, along with his children, who admitted that Okada and Keke have been a way of life for them in the recent past wondered why the government would make such a transportation order without adequately providing alternatives.”It is only in Nigeria that a government would place a ban on such a critical sector without making alternative arrangements for the teeming masses. The pain is too much for us to bear since it became effective last Saturday.Mrs Ijiola Akande and Benedict Ariwoola, who said they trekked from their respective residents to their places of work in Ikeja appealed to government to rescind the order.
”This order must not be allowed to stay too long in the state because it will affect productivity in the state. I imagine the negative effects of trekking a distance of about two kilometres before getting to work would have on my employers”While there were peaceful marches in Surulere and Ikeja by tricycles owners and riders association over the ban, there were also sporadic protests and bonfires in several areas, including Ijora and Ikeja parts of the state.However, the state government has rolled out 65 high capacity buses in addition to the existing buses as part of palliative measures to the restriction of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in parts of the state.
Managing Director of Lagos Bus Services Limited, Idowu Oguntona, announced this deployment at a press conference on Monday. Business activities were paralysed for several hours while people were seen scampering for safety. Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bala Elkana, said that no life was lost in the Ijora protest, adding that normalcy had been restored to the affected areas. According to him, 24 suspects were arrested for blocking major roads in Ijora following the recent ban of Okada and Keke by the Lagos State Government.
Elkana said in a statement that the suspected hoodlums caused major obstructions on the roads, burning tyres, looting and stealing from unsuspecting road users.He said that the hoodlums, suspected to be Okada riders, came out in large numbers armed with cutlasses around Ijora Oloye, Amuse, Ijora 7up, Ijora under the bridge, Sifa junction and Gaskiya gang are area all within Ijora Badia Division.“Police officers from Ijora Badia, Area B Command and Special Strike Force on Social Miscreants were promptly deployed to the scenes.
“The situation was brought under control. The obstructions were cleared for the free flow of traffic.“No life was lost. 24 suspects were arrested. The investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be charged to court,”
Elkana said.
Tricycle operators in Lagos Mainland, Yaba and Oyingbo also staged a peaceful protest at Maryland against the ban. The operators urged the government to rescind its ban on commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators in 15 local government areas Mr. Tayo Oshidele, vice chairman of the association claimed over 2000 members of the association would be affected as a result of the development. Oshidele said that the majority of the operators acquired the tricycles on hire purchase where the money was being remitted on a weekly basis. In a related development, commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators in areas not listed on the ban on Monday alleged that policemen were extorting money from them under the guise that they were plying on restricted highway. Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police( CP) Hakeem Odumosu has warned police officers not to arrest Motorcycles used for courier services as they are not part of the restrictions. In a statement by Elkana, he stated that:
“Lagos State Police Command wishes to reiterate that Motorcycles used for courier services are not included in the restrictions placed on motorcycles in Lagos State. Operators of courier services must strictly obey traffic laws and ensure that they do not drive against traffic (one way). Dispatch riders must put on their crash helmets and should have the dispatch box fixed at the back of the motorcycle. The Bike must strictly be used for courier purposes, with no carrying of passengers. Power bikes are also not affected by the restrictions.
