LAGOS TASKFORCE SET TO CRUSH 250 POWERBIKES/DISPATCH BIKES

By Our Correspondent

The Lagos State Taskforce in its bid to enforce the the ban on the activities on commercial motorcycles by Mr Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu in six Local Government Areas and nine Local Council Development Areas of the State has expanded its tentacles to motorbikes who of higher capacity for various offenses. 

This information was disclosed by the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye at the Headquarters of the Agency in Bolade Oshodi where he revelaed that though powerbikes and dispatch bikes whose capacity are above the required standard were confiscated for either driving against traffic (one-way), conveying of passengers on dispatch bikes and riding on the BRT corridor of the State. 

Jejeloye hinted that even though the ban focuses mainly on commercial motocycles popularly known as okada, the State Transport Sector reform laws prohibits any bikes of any capacity from riding on one-way.

“Riding a powerbike doesn’t make you immune to traffic laws of the State especially when it has to do with riding against traffic on one-way which is highly dangerous to road users and even pedestrians. Any motorbike violating the State traffic laws will be met with the same level of punishment as the Okada of lower capacity” Jejeloye stated. 

The Chairman further disclosed that dispatch riders who have seized the opportunity of the absence of okada on the Highways to transport commuters on their dispatch bikes would also have their bikes impounded.

“We have made series of arrests of dispatch bikes whose riders either convey passengers even with the delivery box still mounted on the bike or sometimes dissemble the box and convey the passengers with the bikes. Unfortunately some of the owners of these bikes do not know that their bikes have been confiscated because the riders usually abandone the bikes once apprehended by our officers”.

Jejeloye urges all dispatch/delivery bike operators to warn and lecture their riders thoroughly to desist from lifting passengers with their bikes or risk forfeting the bikes to the State Government. 

Jejeloye also appealed to power bike riders to obey traffic laws of the State highways as no bike will be spared once caught vioating the law.

The bikes seized by the Agency, numbering 250 will be crushed over the weekend at the Taskforce crushing site in Alausa.