Task force impounds 134 motorcycles in Lagos

Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Agency (Task Force) said its operatives have impounded 134 motorcycles otherwise known as Okada plying restricted routes along the CMS, Marina, Apongbon and Yaba areas of the state.

The agency said the operation that led to the seizure was in a bid to restore sanity to Lagos roads and rid the state of defiant motorcyclists, adding that an O’Ride motorcyclist who was among those arrested was found driving against traffic.

Chairman of the agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Task Force spokesperson, Mr Adebayo Taofiq.

Egbeyemi, while parading 134 motorcycles impounded for flouting traffic regulations and riding along restricted routes at CMS, Marina, Apongbon and Yaba, said the agency was compelled to embark on the clampdown due to the enormous complaints that reached him about the illegal activities of the motorcyclists and the rate at which they ride carelessly, thereby putting lives of motorists and pedestrians in danger.

He disclosed that the clampdown would stretch down to all axis of Victoria Island, Ajah, Lekki in order to put a check to the illegal operations and plying of restricted routes on that axis.

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The Task Force boss further said the affected routes were restricted in accordance with the Lagos Traffic Laws which also enjoined every motorcycle operator “to wear crash helmets, be above 18 years, not ride on kerb/median/road setbacks, avoid restricted routes, not to carry more than one passenger/pregnant woman/Adult with baby/Child below 12 years, not to install any musical gadgets, must wear an apron, not operate beyond 10pm, operate with a rider’s permit and have their motorcycle registered with government.”

Egbeyemi condemned the recklessness on the part of ORide motorcyclists who he said “are gradually becoming a problem on our roads, driving against traffic, riding on fly-overs and not minding the casualties that might occur,” admonishing them to adhere to the Lagos Traffic Rules else the agency would go after them.

He, therefore, expressed the readiness of the agency to make sure that the Lagos Traffic Regulations were adhered to in all areas of the state by all commercial motorcycle operators by ensuring that the safety of pedestrians was not jettisoned by defiant riders.