The Arewa Community General Assembly has backed the decision of the Lagos State Government to place a ban on Okada movement within 6 Local Coucils of the State.
The Community in a communique issued at the end of its Extra-Ordinary meeting held in Lagos said the restriction of Commercial Motorcycle ( Okada) operators in some Local Governments in Lagos State is not a bew law.
It added that it has been in existence for over ten years and resoved unanimously that all its members must comply with the provisions of the laws of Lagos State.
The Communique adds that members of the community will continue to be law abiding and will continue to intimate on all members to continue to be law abiding and operate only within the ambits of the law.
It declared total support for all measures taken by the Lagos State Government towards protecting the life and properties of all Lagosians.
The Communique signed by its Secretary General, Alhaji Musa Saleh, also called on all well meaning members of the Arewa Community to avoid operating as Okada riders in the Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Eti-Osa and Ikeja Local Government areas of the State.
It condemns the criminal activities of foreigners from countries like Chad, Niger Republic, Cameroon and Other neighbouring countries who have infiltrated the ranks of the genuine riders and now constituting a threat to the security of lives and property of all Lagos residents.
The Full Communique is as released below:
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETING OF THE LAGOS STATE AREWA COMMUNITY GENERAL ASSEMBLY , ON 22nd MAY , 2022.
1. The restriction of Commercial Motorcycle ( Okada) operators in some Local Governments in Lagos State is not a bew law. It has been in existence for over ten years. We resoved 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 on all our members to continue to be law abiding and operate only within the ambits of the law.
2. We support all measures taken by the Lagos State Government in it’s efforts towards protecting life and prosperities of all Lagocians.
3. We condemn in totality the activities of all criminal elements who are mostly foreigners from Niger Republic, Chard, Cameroon and other Neighbouring countries who have infiltrated the ranks of those genuine ridders and thereby perpetrating all forms of crime in Lagos state and are constituting serious threats to the lives and properties of Lagosians.
4. We are calling on the Security Agencies to identify and arrest all those criminal elements masquerading as Okada ridders.
5. 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.
6. 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 infrastructures facilities for all Lagosians.
7. We are calling on all well meaning Arewa Community members to comply with our common resolve and avoid the Local Governments of Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Etiosa and Ikeja.
8. 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
9. We thank the Lagos State Governmentto for their support to our developmental programs and are calling on them to support our programs further. These programs include:
(i.) Registration, data generation and compliance monitoring.
(ii) 2-wheels to 4-wheels upgrade program for the same costs.
