Okada Ban: We’re Only After Foreigners Who Ride Okadas In Lagos — CP

Abiodun Alabi, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, says the command is looking for foreigners who operate as commercial motorcyclists in the state.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday, Alabi revealed this.

He claimed that the command was aware of some foreigners riding motorcycles in the state and that they were on the lookout for them.

The CP said as the command paraded 13 suspects accused of committing various offences in the previous month.

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Many of the motorcycles operating in Lagos and neighboring states are Nigeriens, Togolese, Beniniors, and Chadians, according to NAN.

“We are aware that many commercial motorcyclists operating in Lagos are foreigners and we have commenced routine checks with the aim of profiling them.

“When we finish the profiling, we will hand them over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and possible repatriation,” he said.

On the entry of motorcycles into Lagos State, Alabi said the command was resurrecting an old approach by dispatching officers to all border towns to inspect all modes of motorcycle importation.

“We are going to carry out the old strategy by ensuring that no motorcycle comes into the state. We will seize any motorcycle found in any vehicle coming into Lagos,” he said.

On Thursday, the police commissioner said that instead of giving out motorcycles as a kind of empowerment, people should pursue other worthwhile endeavors.

On Thursday, Alabi reacted to the outright prohibition of commercial motorbikes in various Lagos local government areas.

“People who acquire Okada (motorcycles) to empower themselves should reconsider.”

“The reality is that banning okada in Lagos while some individuals are bringing them in through empowerment is causing police problems in enforcing the laws that are currently in place,” he said.

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