http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20090107/tod-oukoe-uk-nigeria-bikers-6d5fb3c.html

Police in Nigeria have arrested scores of motorcycle taxi riders with dried fruit shells, paint pots or pieces of rubber tyre tied to their heads with string to avoid a new law requiring them to wear helmets.

People ride on a motorcycle taxi in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos. The regulations have caused chaos around Africa's most populous nation, with motorcyclists complaining helmets are too expensive and some passengers refusing to wear them fearing they will catch skin disease or be put under a black magic spell.

The law, which came into force on January 1, pits two factions equally feared by the common motorist against one another: erratic motorcycle taxis known as "Okadas," whose owners are notorious for road-rage, and the bribe-hungry traffic police.

Some bikers have used calabashes -- dried shells of pumpkin-sized fruit usually used as a bowl -- or pots and pans tied to their heads with string to try to dodge the rules.

Construction workers have set up a lucrative trade renting out their safety helmets for around 500 naira (2.42 pounds) a day.

"They use pots, plates, calabashes, rubber and plastic as makeshift helmets," said Yusuf Garba, commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission in the northern town of Kano.

"We will not tolerate this. We gave them enough time to purchase helmets. Six months ago the price of helmets was below 800 naira so complaints about non-availability and high prices are no excuse," he told Reuters.

Helmet prices have since risen sharply as sellers cash in on demand.

BIKES IMPOUNDED

He said 28 arrests had been made in Kano. Newspapers have reported more arrests in other cities. Those detained are fined and their bikes impounded until they buy helmets.

There are tens of thousands of Okadas buzzing around Lagos, a chaotic city of 14 million people, many of them given to unemployed and illiterate youths as part of poverty reduction programmes or on hire-purchase schemes run by businessmen.

Most have never been taught traffic rules.

Newspapers quoted passengers as saying they feared the helmets could be laced with magic spells so as to knock the wearer unconscious and make them easier to rob, while others feared they would pick up an infection.

One columnist said transportation can already carry a health risk, and recounted how he had picked up a bedbug while sitting on a bus.

"The story is that people who have scabies, craw-craw, ringworm, dandruff and all other such diseases would easily infect others with them through the helmets," Steve Nwosu wrote in the Daily Sun.

"They ironically forget that the same diseases are also deposited on, and generously transferred from, car seats and their headrests."

(Writing by Nick Tattersall, editing by Peter Millership)

its a total shame when a country that boast of all these so called RESOURCES human and natural have no idea of creating jobs other than our so called graduates resorting to driving okada to make ends, i feel very ashamed each time you c touts harassing the okada drivers for revenue which goes to the pockets of the god fathers. this is all over the country, from sth to the north.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/

look at the rider in this picture

Six months ago the price of helmets was below 800 naira so complaints about non-availability and high prices are no excuse," he told Reuters.

Dis Guy:

http://www.thisdayonline.com/

look at the rider in this picture

I can not laugh.

ode remo:

its a total shame when a country that boast of all these  so called RESOURCES human and natural have no idea of creating jobs other than our so called graduates resorting to driving okada to make ends, i feel very ashamed each time you c touts harassing the okada drivers for revenue which goes to the pockets of the god fathers. this is all over the country, from sth to the north.

Next time if you want to shout - use capital letters for effect.

@ bronx

i am happy i ve said my piece.

Our leaders keep embarrasing us everyday,really sad indeed.
The guy had a paint container as helmet ??

congoshine:

Our leaders keep embarrasing us everyday,really sad indeed.
The guy had a paint container as helmet ??

What the hell are you talking about? The guy is stupid, foolish and idiotic, and all you can say is our leaders embarass us? who is embarassing who? you people think upside down, a law is made to protect people, and someone is making fun of it, and all you can see is the embarrassment from the leaders? so he doesnt know to do what is right? he even has a real helmet and he chooses to use a paint bucket, is he mad or something? what has your leaders got to do with that?

unbelievable

the guy has a real helmet on his dashboard abi wetin dem dey call am for okada

omg, Cant stop laughing,

he's just being stupid.

good law; just the disease thing is understandable.

.

hehehe

The guy in glasses and helmet, omg

tpia:

um um um.






rofl. God forgive me but this is funny!   Seriously though- are handheld sanitizers widely available back home?





@ topic: trust Nigerians.

Even if the helmets are dashed out for free some people still wont wear them. Those types even full this Nairaland sef.

What do you take Nigeria for? where did you live b4 you traveled, in the bush? what is common sanitizer?

I go die oh!
fruit shell, calabashes and plates as helmets. This is too funny.

Only in Nigeria!!!

bronx_dog:

What do you take Nigeria for? where did you live before you traveled, in the bush? what is common sanitizer?

Common hand sanitizer is not that common in Nigeria.

Even here in the U.S some people apparently havent heard of sanitizers. I see people with hands and nails so crusty its like they've been digging loamy soil with their fingers all day.

spoilt:

I go die oh!
fruit shell, calabashes and plates as helmets. This is too funny.

You didn't add the dried vegetable pumpkin also being used as a helmet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7813418.stm

B.O.S.S.:

You didn't add the dried vegetable pumpkin also being used as a helmet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7813418.stm

I think it is commendable that these men have taken the GREEN initiative to heart( in this case, literally wearing it on their heads)!!! Pumpkin Helmets? How much greener can you get than that? roflmao!!

lol

.

talk about recycling. nigeria has gone green. conserving our resources

Gone green in the wrong way.

stillwater:

Only in Nigeria!!!

Common hand sanitizer is not that common in Nigeria.

I wonder what you take Nigeria for.

Nigeria the giant of Africa,God save Africa