 In few days, commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, will no longer apply some restricted areas in Lagos state. This is not the first time the Lagos state government has placed a ban on the activities of Okada riders, but its implementation has not been effective. Across London, Ngozi Ohaihisi takes a look at the renewed order and its effectiveness. In Lagos, commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada is an important means of transportation for residents. The reason is not far-fetched. The heavy and frustrating gridlock experience on most routes across the states. Over time, there have been complaints by commuters about the reckless attitudes of some riders which has resulted in accidents leading to deaths and lifetime injuries. Some of these riders have been accused of aiding and abetting crimes due to their quick and easy movement, while some other disobey traffic lights. The Lagos state government in the past years has reeled out laws banning the ride in some areas of the state. In 2006, under the Bolatuninbu government, Okada riders were banned from operations between 7pm to 6am every day. In 2012, the Lagos state government under the Babatunde-Fashella administration placed a total ban on Okada riders on the cater access of the state. Same thing in 2017, under the Akinwumi Ambodi administration, the state government announced ban on Okada activities on major highways, bridges and roads. And under the Baba Jidesongulu's administration in 2020, the government banned Okada from flying 40 bridges and flyovers across the state. The ban seems not to have been able to get commercial bikers off restricted areas. Recently, a young man and father of two was killed and set ablaze by an Okada rider over a disagreement. These made citizens take to social media to call for the total ban of Okada riders on the states. Residents of Lekifes-1, where the incident occurred, staged a protest against Okada riders in the area. I ask Okada riders, run your feet to a remote area. I want to say thank you to the government for being proactive, again, by prescribing, by banning Okada riders, because he did three years ago and you still see them on the streets. Now he is banning and actually this is a very strong convention that he has to do it and he also appealed to me to enforce it this time around so that we don't keep using action of the rules. Do you know in this state we used to take walks? We are, a lot of people are sports enthusiasts. We go to jog, we go to exercise ourselves early morning, late in the evenings and we visit ATMs, we visit banks, we visit all the, do you know in the evenings you can't do any of this? Because you are scared, you are scared of your life. So these Okada men have done a lot of harm. So it is high time the government really, really come out and partner with us and enforce this ban because government has actually banned them. This third ban you are hearing now is the second ban, it is double ban. In a recent order, the Lagos state renewed its ban on Okada business, which will take effect from the 1st of June. All the first banning that were going to them back in, so that others know that it is software, either together or for something else to do. Days to the effective date of the ban, commercial motorcyclists are having a few days in Ajah area of the state. They can stay allowed there on their streets but on the road they should ban them, they should just go. I don't want Okada to be banned because they have helped a lot actually, you know in a situation whereby you want to go to a place and you need to be to be fast, you just enter bike and go to a place rather than enter motorbike because you have to wait till it is full before you can move. I don't think it should be banned because I actually use them for work in the morning when I go to work and also in the evening for work I use them so if there is no bike so what do I use as transport means? That's the fastest means of transportation for these cities because once there is traffic and you have to get to work before it, you have to try all possible means to meet up with the time so they don't have to ban bike. I will advise the government, let them try and bring people who are educated like from secondary and employ them, they will be sensible but when you bring Jagobon, Yoruba illiterate, Awusa illiterate, Yibo illiterate, they don't know anything. About the express I can stay without with government but the road that remain without no expressway, they can still apply at least y'all stand and give them to be closing, they can still apply other way apart from the express. The riders appeal to the government to rethink the ban. I have two kids and wife. I'm feeling now with this work that I'm doing. Okada, now I tell the family now, someone like me now, I have like four piquins, two girls, two boys, now wait till I tell the parents school fees and don't go under work again. When push me now, which work I do again and don't get work and don't serve it if I don't serve it do anything. Only Okada now they do now. We see the apologiser with a beg the state government. I beg, may they forgive us so because we like this some people do not have any other in Lagos and the Okada they pay them. Some people have family and they suppose their family would buy so we don't have any to beg. Best of all the reason would also. Okada ban in Lagos state has lingered for years without effect. The coming days we expose defectiveness or otherwise of the government's ban order on Okada businesses from restricted areas. Gazika or HSE plus TV news. Hello, hope you enjoyed the news. 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