Commercial
motorcycle riders in Lagos State, western Nigeria, may soon have cause
to rejoice as the state House of Assembly has agreed to review some of
the roads where their operations had been previously restricted.
This
stand by the members of the House followed constant complaints about
police harassments and intimidation by the okada riders on approved
routes.
The House also called on the state
Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to immediately alert the Commissioner
of Police, Umar Manko, on the need to urgently call his men to order
following complaints about indiscriminate arrest of the riders in their
legal areas of operation.
The House said it had become important
to revisit the law and list of restricted routes so they could be
amended where possible to avoid the conflicts between the police and
commercial motorcycle operators which had resulted in alleged
exploitation by some of the security agents.
According to the
lawmakers, most of whom protested against the way the law enforcement
agents had carried out the implementation of the law, the law, as passed
in 2012, was aimed at reducing recklessness on the part of road users
and not for the purpose of exploitation by those to implement it.
While
appealing to motorcycle riders to continue to respect the law, the
House said it would do everything to defend them against continued abuse
by security and paramilitary agents in the state.
The resolution
of the House followed a motion sponsored by 10 lawmakers led by Sanai
Agunbiade representing Ikorodu Constituency 1.
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