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By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Arewa community in Lagos State (LASACOMM) has backed the decision of the state government to ban the operation of Okada in six local government areas of the state.
In a communique issued at the end of its extra-ordinary meeting on Sunday, LASACOMM said it supports all measures taken by the Lagos State Government in its efforts towards protecting life and property of all Lagosians.
The communique, which was signed by the Secretary General of LASACOMM, Alhaji Musa Saleh, read:” The restriction of Commercial Motorcycle (Okada) operators in some local governments in Lagos State is not a new law. It has been in existence for over 10 years. We resolved today unanimously that all our members must comply with the provisions of the laws of Lagos State.
“We are law-abiding and we will always continue to intimate all our members to continue to be law abiding and operate only within the ambits of the law.
“We support all measures taken by the Lagos State Government in its efforts towards protecting life and prosperities of all Lagosians.
“We condemn in totality the activities of all criminal elements who are mostly foreigners from Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and other neighbouring countries who have infiltrated the ranks of those genuine riders and thereby perpetrating all forms of crime in Lagos State and are constituting serious threats to the lives and properties of Lagosians.
“We are calling on the security agencies to identify and arrest all those criminal elements masquerading as Okada riders.
“We also tasking the Nigeria Immigration Service to step up its actions along the border line in checking the influx of those foreign elements coming into the Country without genuine intention.
“We are in total commitment and support to the administrative policies of the Lagos State Government getting rid of all security threats promoting peace and tranquility, safeguarding lives and properties of Lagos and the massive provision and development of infrastructural facilities for all Lagosians.”
The Arewa community called on all well-meaning members to comply with the common resolve and avoid Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Etiosa and Ikeja Local Government Areas.
“We will work with the Lagos State Government and the Association of Arewa Okada Riders towards the implementation of extant rules and documentation of all riders in all local governments of Lagos State. We must have adequate data on everyone.
“We call on the Lagos State Government to be vigilant and take proper punitive measures on bad eggs within the security agencies.
“We thank the Lagos State Government for their support to our developmental programmes and are calling on them to support our programmes further. These programmes include:
(i.) Registration, data generation and compliance monitoring. (ii) 2-wheels to 4-wheels upgrade programme for the same costs,” it added.