*Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (left), and the banned crude means of transport in Lagos
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Following the recent ban on the use of motorcycle (Okada) and tricycle (Keke NAPEP) as means of transportation in Lagos State, the state’s Police Command said it has impounded not less than 188 motorcycles and 78 tricycles. The command also disclosed that 40 persons were arrested for refusing to comply with the ban on motorcycles and tricycles in certain areas by the state government.
Bala Elkana, the state Police Public Relations Officer, said in a statement at the weekend that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, on Saturday, deployed Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, State Traffic Officers, Area Traffic Officers, Divisional Traffic Officers, the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences and other police personnel to enforce the state road traffic laws that restricted motorcycles and tricycles from operating on certain routes in Lagos State as directed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
In the same vein, he added that Very Important Personality (VIP) escort vehicles without number plates, vehicles with defaced and covered number plates and vehicles driving against the traffic were also impounded. Elkana said, “The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, had on February 1, 2020, deployed Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, State Traffic Officers, Area Traffic Officers, Divisional Traffic Officers, Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences and other police officers across the state to fully enforce the provisions of the Road Traffic Laws, especially the ban on the use of motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, and tricycles, also known as Keke, in some local government areas and routes across the state.
“The total ban as announced by the Lagos State Government took effect from 00.00 hours on February 1, 2020. Forty violators were arrested in different parts of the state and 188 motorcycles and 78 tricycles were impounded. The Commissioner of Police went around the state to monitor compliance and expressed his satisfaction with the level of compliance. He thanked the good people of Lagos State for their cooperation.
“The CP personally arrested some motorcycle and tricycle operators seen contravening the traffic laws. Others arrested by the CP were VIP escort vehicles without number plates, vehicles with defaced and covered number plates and vehicles driving against the traffic. Twenty-two vehicles were impounded. The CP reiterated the fact that no one was above the law and called on Lagos residents, irrespective of their social status, to support the police in their quest to provide a safe and secure state for everyone to live in and to carry out their lawful businesses.”
