Okada, keke ban is about security and safety, says Hamzat

- The Lagos state government has continued to educate Lagosians its reasons for the ban on okada and keke

- The state's deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, said the decision was taken majorly due to security and safety of residents

- Hamzat, an engineer and former commissioner in the state, appeared on a television programme to clarify the controversial issue

The Lagos state government has insisted that there is no going back on the decision to ban motorcycles and tricycles popularly known as okada and keke respectively.

The deputy governor of the state, Mr Obafemi Hamzat, stated this during his appearance on Channels Television on Wednesday, February 12.

According to him, the decision was taken due to the rate of crime and accidents recorded on major roads and highways in the state.

“The truth of the matter is that it is a law that has been in existence since 2012. It was revised by the past administration in 2018. So, it is a law that has been there for like nine, 10 years.

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“We all know that it was not implemented; so what we are doing is to implement the law. It’s not that we just woke up and banned them. It is about the security of lives,” he said.

“The essence is not to punish anybody or to restrict people from doing any job, but you have to be alive before you can make money,” he added.

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He also said okada and keke were used by some criminal elements to perpetrate crimes such as drug trafficking and theft among others.

Hamzat said on the average, 28 deaths are related to okada incidents directly on a monthly basis in the state.

He added that tricycles and motorcycles are now the vehicles for transporting drugs to schools.

Meanwhile, the Lagos government has clarified that despite the ban, operators of okada and keke have only been restricted in six local government areas in the state.

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Recall that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had vowed that his government won't go back on the ban placed on okada and keke.

You can read on the experiences of Lagosians following the ban - here.

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The real reason we restricted Okada & Keke - Lagos state government | Legit TV

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