Hundreds of commercial motorcyclists, popularly called Okada riders, in the early hours of Monday, barricaded the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to protest against the Lagos State Government’s new Road Traffic Law.

Part of the new law restricts the operations of okada on major roads across the state.

The protesting Okada riders at 8AM, stormed the Abule-Egba area, on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, one of the restricted routes for Okada riders.

This resulted in a gridlock as they disrupted free flow of traffic.

It took the intervention of the state security outfit, Rapid Response Squad, RRS, the police, Federal Road Safety Corps and men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, to restore normalcy on the road

An official of the state Ministry of Transportation, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the protest, saying the situation was immediately put under check with no arrest made as the protesting Okada riders retreated accordingly.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, has disclosed that the government has added 15,000 road signs in addition to the existing 10,000.

Opeifa said the massive installation of the signs would enable road-users to be conversant with the signs and their significance, adding that it would also assist road-users to know the restricted routes for motorcycles and tricycles, designated bus-stops, among others.

He implored the residents to inform the government through GSM number 08174616936 on locations where they felt that traffic signs are needed.

He, however, warned “recalcitrant” Okada riders and tricycles also known as “Keke NAPEP or Marwa” in their own interest, to desist from plying the restricted 475 routes as anyone found violating the law would be appropriately sanctioned.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/08/28/okada-riders-protest-new-lagos-traffic-law/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

I hope they go on indefinite strike so that we can have peace

What was the purpose of these restrictions?

After the Protest will come their Banning.

This is what Lagosians think about Okada Riders.

https://www.nairaland.com/996472/should-lagos-govt-ban-okada

The law took the life of one LASTMA official still LASTMA officials joined in forcing the Okada riders to retreat ,maybe they are happy the law took their members life.

Mehn! No matter hw they plan on resolvin dis issue,i dnt tink its gonna work out because D law cant b witdrawn n Okada riders wont follow it either. Even if they ban dem,they wont listen. Commissioner Opeifa shuld pls jst Free dem abeg...

so okada riders shd not obey traffic rules?

THIS FASHOLA OF A BOY HAVE TO TAKE IT EASY HOW TREATS PEOPLE...HE SHOULD CONCENTRATE IN BUILDING METRO AND OTHER THINGS THAT WILL FAVOR THE MASSES...

the.game:
Lets not forget that okada riding is a means of income and a source of employment to some people out there

Christmas is around d corner. All dis officials are just lookin for a way to make moni sharply

This Fasola admin. Continues making life difficult 4 common man. After they have voted 4 him. Why Fasola nt making law that creates wealth and employment if indeed he is zealous abt his service to d ppl? The new trap laws were put in place in order to pave way 4 BRT & LAG BUS to excel. Okada have been competing with them.

typical of them

Nkan to ba u wan ki wan se.

Negotiation will rather be the best for them.

the.game:
Lets not forget that okada riding is a means of income and a source of employment to some people out there

Based on the little I know about the new Lagos Traffic Law, OKADA is not ban, is only for them to be operating at the inner roads where their life will be more saver and NOT expressway which have so many dangers for their life.

Nobody is disputing that Okada riding is a means of income and source of employment but their operation must be regulated in order to save their life and the life of the populace at large. I dont believe they (Okada riders) should be going on a SUICIDAL MISSION everyday for them to eat (they can operate inner street and municipal roads which is more saver for them).

You can only enjoy the money you earn, if only you are still alive and healthy; and NOT spending such money and even your family went borrowing in order to foot their hospital bill at Igbobi General Hospital.

chio chio: THIS FASHOLA OF A BOY HAVE TO TAKE IT EASY HOW TREATS PEOPLE...HE SHOULD CONCENTRATE IN BUILDING METRO AND OTHER THINGS THAT WILL FAVOR THE MASSES...

Dude using capital letters is akin to shouting. That wouldn't be so much of a bother if you can fix your tenses!
Haba...."A boy have to....."

If only u see these okada related accidents...smh!

Huh

you can restrict okada rider's on express way only if you can reduce traffic on the express way. oga fash you better concentrate on developing alternative means of transportation and repair street roads that will serve as shortcuts for road users and if in some cases it does not exist, please try and create. i will rather site examples of such routes to Lagos state govt rather than call to tell you where to mount a road sign.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYMPMKUSVyg

I follow one way lastma find me reach house o

temujin1234: What was the purpose of these restrictions?

To reduce the number of broken leg casualties at Igbobi Hospital.

Bloody animals! Protesting against a law that is supposed to bring order and sanity!

Me thinks a great deal of the problem is illiteracy coupled with poverty.
To reduce poverty govt needs to sanitize lagos and make it less chaotic and more attractive for people to come and do business and also live in.
These laws are very likely to cause lagosians some pain but ultimately will help to develop lagos economically.
It might even result in the okada riders doing better jobs than okada riding.
But the Okada riders on their own dont understand this at all.
All they can think about is now, now and now. They cant be bothered about tomorrow.
Somehow I dont blame them. If there are educated people on Nairaland who dont understand it, is it the Okada riders that will?
That's where the illiteracy part comes in.
Its just a complex thing.

the.game:
Lets not forget that okada riding is a means of income and a source of employment to some people out there

the same way robbing and killing is a means of livelihood for some people. so by your logic, there should be no law and insanity should reign

they better banned those rubbish okada or wateva they call them, i was pi*sd off this morning wen i was about crossing the ikorodu road wen all of a sudden an okada man appeared from no where and hit my hand off it go my bold6 shattered... surprising enough the guy zoomed off

Younare an id.iot without consideration

mustspin: the same way robbing and killing is a means of livelihood for some people. so by your logic, there should be no law and insanity should reign

temujin1234: What was the purpose of these restrictions?

Is like u be okada rider

chio chio: Younare an id.iot without consideration

calm down, read my comment over and over again and tell me who the real idiot is

hmmmmmmmmm.

I recommend an outright ban of Okada riding In lagos. Rivers state did same no protest, Abuja did same no protest, Enugu did same no protest, only in Lagos will these touts want to flex their muscles? shoot on sight of any Okada man should be enforced In Lagos to free Lagos of these nuisance.

Why Lagos /Abeokuta express, they should have gone to Alausa now.