Abia: ‘Okada Accidents Claimed 1,300 in 6 Months’
04.02.2009

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Monday in Umuahia, said 1,300 people were killed in accidents involving commercial motorcycles (okada) in Abia, between June 2008 and December 2008. Head of Public Education, Mr Ifeanyi Okeke, who gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the number was ''too high.''
He said a total of 981 okada accidents  were also recorded in Umuahia between January 2009 and February 2009 and that the commission was still computing the number of deaths resulting from the accidents.
According to him, Abia ranks among the states with the highest okada accident figures.
On crash helmets, he said from April 1, the commission would begin an exercise tagged: ''Operation Wahala Dey'' (operation there is trouble) to enforce the use of helmets by motorcyclists.
Okeke, who said the operation was not targeted only at okada operators, disclosed that FRSC had already impounded 81 motorcycles because the riders failed to use the helmets.
He said during the exercise, those who showed evidence of payment for the helmets would not be arrested because, ''it will be unfair to impound motorcycles of those who have paid for the helmets''.
Okeke also said people who came to reclaim their impounded motorcycles would not be asked pay fines, noting ''we will release the motorcycles if their owners acquire the helmets and show us receipts of purchase.''
He said the commission would then engrave the names and numbers of owners on the helmets to ensure that they were not transferred to other motorcyclists.
Okeke, who commended the state government for assisting the operators to procure helmets at reduced costs, urged it to ensure that the items were delivered without further delay.