Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) during the weekend warned that commercial motorcyclists, otherwise known as Okada, is still highly prohibited in Kubwa Community, Bwari Area Council of the FCT, saying that violators risk huge economic loss.
Recall that Tribune Online had reported how the FCTA approved the request of Bwari Area Council two years ago, to ban activities of commercial motorcyclists when it complained that a lot of crimes were being carried out with the help of Okada riders.
Okada operation was then prohibited in Kubwa and Dutse Communities, and followed by serious mop-up by the combined team of task force, headed by the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS). The success of the operation was however lost, after the tempo went down, resulting in a huge resurgence of the cyclists in their large numbers.
As the operations against Okada in Kubwa resumed, the administration said the resurgence was a serious security breach that cannot be allowed, considering reports by the Police that many abandoned corpses, linked to Okada riders’ recklessness, had been buried.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah said the resumed operation was a directive from the Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello that the illegalities associated with the Okada operation should be dealt with drastically.
Attah noted that reports from the Police that there have been several deaths traceable to Okada riders in the community, due to their recklessness and mob action, was a development which the administration would not tolerate.
According to him, Commercial motorcyclists are not allowed both in Kubwa and Dutse Communities, and those who violate it will be punished by seizing the bikes.
“Okada operation is not allowed in Kubwa and Dutse. With the strong synergy between the FCTA and Bwari Area Council, following their request two years ago. The operation will continue for so long until sanity is restored.
“The Security Department of the FCTA and the DRTS with the support of the Bwari Area Council after they complained that Okada riders have become a menace to Kubwa and Dutse communities. These government agencies at that time cleaned up Kubwa to a point that Okada disappeared completely. Later on, we saw a resurgence of Okada and the menace has been very complicated in this axis.
“From what we heard from Police Divisional headquarters of Kubwa is that there had been so much burial, resulting from deaths occasioned by Okada riders recklessness leading to accident or the ones they killed during mob action.
“The Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello during the last executive meeting gave a marching order that all components of the FCTA task force should clean Kubwa of Okada because they come to expressways in flagrant disregard of traffic rules, mess up the roads and commit mayhem.
The Head of DRTS Operation, Deborah Osho confirmed that 94 bikes were impounded during the operation and would be sustained.