Curbing Okada riders’ excesses in Kwara

The recent rampage of commercial motorcycle operators to Kwara State Road Traffic Management Agency (KWARTMA) and mobbing of its officials at the office headquarters, which led to destruction of some their facilities ought to be a source of worry and concerned to the State Government and stakeholders in the state. This is because it is not the first time such incidence would occur while the culprits on every occasion go scot free after unleashing their vengeance on the road traffic officers.

Kwara State is one of the few states in the country where commercial motorcycle riders are still allowed to operate freely. In many states, Okada as popularly called, have been banned with several state governments adducing numerous reasons for their actions.

However, the situation is quite different in Kwara as the operators continue to receive government's backing to continue with their businesses, this as noted might not be unconnected to the level of unemployment in the country and since it served as means of livelihood for the operators. Equally, in spite of enormous challenges that go along with motorcycle as means of transportation, the State Government decided to act otherwise.

Unfortunately, recent development might be proving government wrong for not taking a firm decision against them before now. This is because the motorcycle riders in their last protest against alleged as extortion by men of the State Traffic Management Authority vowed to henceforth stop wearing crash helmets. True to their words, the operators have stopped wearing the protective helmets.

The Okada operators' protest was also at the Emir of Ilorin's palace and Government House.

It was gathered that in continuation of the protest, some angry operators accosted some of their colleagues, who continued to comply with the rules on helmets, stripped them of the protective helmets and smashed them.

The fierce looking operators moved from one junction to the other in Ilorin metropolis to forcefully seize the helmets from their colleagues and destroyed them immediately. Some law-abiding riders, upon sighting the hoodlums few metres away from where they converged quickly removed and hid their helmets to avoid been forcefully taken away by the miscreants.

Further findings revealed that the hoodlums began the destructive spree around Railway Line, Unity area before it stretched to other parts of the city with no one to checkmate them. The situation, forced road traffic officers to abandon their various duty posts and ran for safety while the economic activities in some major areas were paralysed as a result of the protest.

It was however gathered that contrary to the extortion claim by the operators, the recent proliferation of Okada rider groups was largely responsible for the protest.

Reacting to the development, a commercial motorcycle operator, Samuel Kayode, described actions of some of their colleagues as unnecessary and baseless, saying there was no justification to have been seizing helmets from their members and destroying them.According to him, “we know that this destruction of crash helmets resulted from the protest that took place recently. The fact is, if you are not pleased with certain decisions of government, you enter into dialogue with them so that whatever is the matter could be resolved on the table rather than this show of lawlessness.

“I don't think it is the appropriate thing to do. In as much as this destruction continues, we (commercial motorcycle) are the one bearing the brunt. No matter how they destroy it, we will still at some point in time be mandated to buy another helmet.”

However, it was gathered that the allegations raised by the operators were discovered to be false as they were found to have been breaking the traffic rules or not conforming with them at all. Some of them twist their motorcycles handles or carry more than one passengers against the laid down traffic rules.

Despite assurances from the Chief of Staff, Government House, Alhaji AbdulWahab Yusuf, that their complaints would be addressed as soon as possible, the Okada riders continued their protest and attack on the traffic officials as well as their facilities the following day. This led to destruction of several facilities while security operatives eventually waded in to restore normalcy in the state capital and arrest some of the offenders. They were subsequently charged to court and remanded.

To address the issue, a meeting of the union's caretaker committee and part of the dissolved executive was summoned recently where the riot act was read out to them.

The meeting, held at the instance of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, saw the government warning that any official of the traffic agency caught extorting money from Okada operators would be dealt with severely.

Also, the governor strongly advised the commercial riders to henceforth follow due process in channelling their grievances.

It would be recalled that there was a time the State Government had proposed to place ban on motorcycle operation as means of transportation in the state. This was when accidents involving the operators continue to increase on daily basis and as a result of their recklessness, scores of passengers lost their lives while several were injured and ended up in hospitals. At a time, virtually all major hospitals in the state capital have large numbers of patients on admission as a result of Okada accidents. Traditional bone setters also had lot of patronage from the operators. Meanwhile, after several consultations, government decided to allow them continue with their operation.

Similarly, when the security situation in the state capital was becoming worrisome as Okadas are used to snatch bags and personal effects from innocent citizens at gun points not minding whether it is broad day light or at nights, the idea was moved that government should introduce tricycles in replacement of the motorcycles. Again, the operators survived it and in spite of introducing the tricycles as another means of transport, the State Government only re-organised the Okada riders in order to sanitise the sector.

Unfortunately, the relationship between the operators and officials of the Kwara State Road Traffic Management Agency (KWARTMA) has been like that of cats and dogs. There had been series of allegation of extortion by the operators who also alleged that the officials arrest their members unlawfully and subjected to paying huge fines before they could be free.

This had resulted to the motorcycle operators taking laws into their hands by attacking KWARTMA's officials and their facilities whenever they feel.

Reacting to the development, the Chief Executive Officer, Kwara State Road Transport Management Authority (KWARTMA), Mr Babatunde Bello Yekini, described the attack on their officers and protest to their headquarters by commercial motorcycle riders as a mere transfer of aggression to the agency.

Yekini said the agency's investigations revealed that members of the association had issues with their executives that did not have anything to do with KWARTMA, adding that instead of them to discuss and address their problem internally; they started creating scenes and disturbing public peace.

Lamenting that it was not the first time Okada riders would attack his officers and destroyed their equipment, he attributed such attacks to lack of proper education and orientation.

The chief executive officer however vowed that the agency would not relent in its duties to ensure that road traffic rules are maintained.

Yekini stated that after the attack, the state government delegation met with the motorcycle association officials with a view to finding lasting solution to the lingering problem between them and the agency.

He said that KWARTMA has over the years continued to sensitized motorists on how to maintain road worthiness and prevented unnecessary accidents on the roads.

The CEO explained that the document guiding the agency's operation has never at any point been altered; stressing that road traffic rules and regulations is a national programme.

“As a matter of fact, the agency has been lenient when it comes to the issues of applying punishment to erring members of the public but the people never realised this and appreciate KWARTMA's job so as to commend them.

Instead, they ended up causing problem to the society. We will not be disturbed by their actions because our mandate is to reduce loss of lives and properties on the road”, he said.

Yekini however called for maximum support and cooperation from the public in order for the agency to adequately discharge its responsibilities to the society.

Sources later confirmed that the association had been factionalised, hence disagreement between the members on their leadership. It was as a result of the development that the motorcycle operators could suddenly protest and cause unrest anyday they feel like with no clear leadership.

Commenting on the development, the Chairman, Joint Okada Riders' Association, Alhaji AbdulRaheem Akanbi, denied claims that the union has been factionalised as he insisted that members of the association still remain one under one umbrella.

However, Akanbi, who confirmed that the protesters even though did that to protect their members' interest, added that they however failed to carry the executive along and that it was done wrongly.

He said it was as a result of the development that many people thought the union has been factionalised.

On the protective helmets seized and destroyed by some angry motorcycle riders from their members during the protest, Akanbi stated that they acted on their own as nobody sent them on such errand.

On the alleged extortion of their members and exorbitant fines they were made to pay by KWARTMA officials, the chairman confirmed that it was true their members were made to pay heavy fines whenever they are apprehended by the officials.

He explained that after challenging them, the officials claimed some of them do not come on time for collection of their motorcycles, which was the reason for the heavy fine.

Akanbi added that the issue have been resolved amicably by the State Government as well as other stakeholders that attended the peace meeting and their members have been cooperating with the officials.

The chairman appreciated the state government's gesture for allowing them to operate despite enormous pressure to ban motorcycles as means of transport in the state, stressing that they are ready to abide by the rules and regulations set by the state government.

It is however believed that the recent attack on the road traffic officers by the motorcycle operators would be the last to be witnessed in the state. This is due to the fact that the operators had on several occasions acted unlawfully in the process of pressing home their demands or protest against the traffic officers' behaviours towards them, thereby causing serious damage and paralysing commercial activities in the state capital.

It is imperative that the State Government urgently act on the issue by ensuring that the group remain an indivisible union and maintain the status quo rather than allowing the association to be factionalised. That would made it very easy for government to consult with them on any issue raised, especially as it affects their operations in the State since government had decided not to ban usage of motorcycles as means of transportation in Kwara.

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