Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye said power bikes
and dispatch bikes whose capacity were 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 in the State.
The Taskforce in its bid to enforce the ban on the
activities of commercial motorcycles by
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in six Local Government Areas and nine Local
Council Development Areas of the State has expanded its tentacles to motorbikes
of higher capacity for various offences.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola
Jejeloye at the Headquarters of the agency in Bolade Oshodi where he revealed
that power bikes 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 motorcycles popularly known as okada, the State Transport Sector
reform laws prohibit any bikes of any capacity from riding one-way.
“Riding a power bike 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 a series of arrests of dispatch bikes whose
riders either convey passengers even with the delivery box still mounted on the
bike or sometimes disassemble 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 abandon the
bikes once apprehended by our officers”.
Jejeloye urged all dispatch/delivery bike operators to warn
and lecture their riders thoroughly to desist from lifting passengers with
their bikes or risk forfeiting 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 violating the
law.