Residents of Lagos State under the aegis of #OccupyLagos on Saturday stormed the streets to protest the hardships brought on them by the recent ban by the state government on motorcycles (okada) and tricycles (keke Marwa) in the state.
The protesters bearing different placards stormed Eko Atlantic which is the finish line of the 2020 Lagos City Marathon that held on Saturday.
Inscriptions on the placards include; “Better roads, less traffic”, “you do not build a megacity by hiding the poor”, “railway? rail, where?” “this is ferry wrong”, “BRT fit enter my street”, “regulate, not ban”, “Okada/Keke Ban: Day 8… Wia D alternatives dey?” “Children are walking, students are walking, workers are walking, Lagos is walking”.
The protesters also took to Twitter to record their grievances on the restrictions. Below are some of the tweets from #OccupyLagos .
Made this while I was seated in traffic for 5 hours. Lagos is doing the most. #OccupyLagos #OkadaBan pic.twitter.com/u60Nh9Nndq
— Eniola (@korty_EO) February 8, 2020
#OccupyLagos is live at the marathon finish line at Eko Atlantic.
Strictly peaceful, law-abiding and orderly.
The message is clear: we do not want a policy that does not work, we do not want a policy that makes life difficult for Lagosians, #RegulateNotBan bikes and tricycles. pic.twitter.com/EInzGlK85f
— #OccupyLagos Mocha👸🏾 (@raychellered) February 8, 2020
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If you want to join #OccupyLagos, please come to the marathon finish line at Eko Atlantic. #OccupyLagos #OccupyLagos #OccupyLagos #OccupyLagos pic.twitter.com/lEDproRhjr
— #OccupyLagos Mocha👸🏾 (@raychellered) February 8, 2020
Message for Nigerian politicians as today's protest of #OccupyLagos comes to an end. You don't hide the poor in your society, you give them a chance to be part of that society by making the system fair to everyone. @segalink#OccupyLagos #lagosmarathon pic.twitter.com/tLHvQbzLhz
— Emmanuel D. I. Awujo (@ADaberechukwu) February 8, 2020
We have now come to the end of today’s protest. We have refused to be docile because we do not agree with the outright ban.
Thank you to everyone who supported and made time out to join #OccupyLagos. Special thanks to @EiENigeria, @zikokomag and @segalink. #OccupyLagos pic.twitter.com/dYCXYOhcvV
— Makanaki♌😍💯🔥 (@The_Makanaki1) February 8, 2020
As usual, I’ve once again written my name in the sands of time by standing on the side of history as one of those who refuse to be intimidated by this callous and insensitive government by attending the #OccupyLagos #RegulateNotBan pic.twitter.com/0LUwi92foc
— Ladi #OccupyLagos (@LadiSpeaks) February 8, 2020
Recall that the state government, with effect from February 1, 2019, restricted movement of okada and keke Marwa in six local government and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) including Apapa LG and Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LG and Yaba LCDA, Surulere LG, Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs, Ikeja LG, Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs, Eti-Osa LG, Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs, Lagos Island LG and Lagos Island East LCDA.
The government also restricted their operations on 10 major highways including Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Oworonshoki-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Ikorodu Expressway, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Funsho Williams Avenue, Agege Motor Road and Eti-Osa Lekki Coastal Road.
The affected bridges are Iyana- Ipaja Bridge Agege, Dopemu Bridge Agege, Airport/Ikeja Bridge, Agege Motor road/oshodi Loop, Oshodi, Mushin/Isolo Link Bridge, Dorman Long Bridge, Ojuelegba Bridge, National Stadium Flyover, Apapa-Iganmu Bridge, Apapa-Ijora Link Bridge, Liverpool Bridge, Apapa, Mile 2 Bridge-Loop, Amuwo-Odofin, Okota (Cele)/Ijesha Link Bridge, Apakun/Apapa-Oshodi Bridge Network and Ikorodu Road/Anthony Clover leaf Bridge.
Others are Trade Fair Flyover Bridge, Festac/Amuwo-Odofin Link Bridge, 2 Flyover Bridges along Alhaji Masha Road, Ojota Clover leaf Bridge, Ogudu Bridge, 3rd Mainland Bridge, Maryland flyover, Ikeja General Hospital Flyover Bridge and Kodesoh Bridge, Oba Akran, Ikeja.
Also affected by the ban are Opebi Link Bridge, Sheraton-Opebi Bridge, Jibowu/Yaba flyover Bridge, Carter Bridge, Lagos, Bariga-Ifako Bridge, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Alapere Bridge, Bariga/Oworonsoki Bridge,
Apapa-Oshodi, Expressway/Gbagada U-Turn, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, 3rd Mainland/Oworonsoki Bridge, Eko Bridge, Apongbon flyover Bridge, Cowry Bridge (Officers Mess), Mcwen Bridge (Bonny Camp), Marina/Ikoyi Bridge and Ikoyi/Obalende Bridge.
and then