By Abdullateef Aliyu, Lagos




Some of the 'Opay' bikes impounded on Monday by the Lagos state govt.



At least three trucks of motorcycles belonging to the popular ride-hailing platform, Opay, were impounded on Monday by officials of the Lagos State Traffic Monitoring and Enforcement team, our reporter learnt.

The sweeping seizure of the Opay bikes was in line with the move by the state government to sanitize the highways of the Opay riders which have taken over major highways in Lagos.

Daily Trust reports that the On-Demand Motorbike Hailing riders including Gokada, Max.ng, among others have been operating in Lagos for the past two years serving as a bespoke alternative for people who want to beat the terrific Lagos traffic.

It would be recalled that the state government through a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Salaam Taiwo, had said it did not approve the operation of the motor bike hailing service providers.

It was learnt today that the decision to clamp down on Opay riders followed the constitution of a new Traffic and Environmental team by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.



Some of the ‘Opay’ bikes impounded on Monday by the Lagos state govt.



The Monitoring and Enforcement Coordination Committee headed by former Commissioner for Transport in the state, Kayode Opeifa, is to monitor and enforce all the new executive orders and other existing laws of the state “with high sense of responsibility and the seriousness they deserve.”

Part of the mandate given to the committee which comprises all security agencies was to clear the highways and some restricted areas of commercial motorcycles in line with the extant law on Okada ban.

The enforcement which started on Monday has seen dozens of Opay bikes impounded on some Lagos highways.

Some of the areas where the operation was carried out were Secretariat area in Alausa-Ikeja, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, among others.

One of the riders who simply identified himself as Felix said he narrowly escaped the arrest today.

He said, “They disturbed us well well today. The new CP is giving us serious problem and many motorcycles were impounded today but I am sure our management is addressing the issue with them.”

Spokesman of the Lagos Police Command, DSP Bala ElKana, told our correspondent that the enforcement is an ongoing exercise to arrest Okada riders plying prohibited routes and driving against traffic.

Fortune109:
Good riddance! Is this how commercial motor bikes have invaded American highways where Google that owns the so called OPay is from??


Whoever must operate motor bike business has to comply with the laws of the land...there are specified routes that Motor bikes are allowed to ply in the state, period!just shut up Mr know all..why would somebody living in the village would be taking about Lagos matter

helinues:
So no public notifications to the riders before impounding their bikes ?

Chei.. This is bad

RichDad1:
Sanwo-Olu is a very clueless governor. He might end up being the worst governor in Lagos state history.
The same OPay that has been helping Lagosians meet up with appointments, avoid sacks and saved lots of productive hours usually spent in Lagos traffic on a daily basis ?
Why are these people allergic to anything that will reduce the transportation woes of the average Lagos residents ?
The traffic laws only banned motorcycles with engine capacity lesser than 200cc from plying the highways and other restricted routes. To the best of my knowledge, OPay , Max etc use motorcycles with engine capacity around 250cc upwards.
The amount of traffic in Lagos metropolis is unprecedented, Yet this point and kill Governor wants to to make things worse.
While tankers are having a field day on the roads and he’s at lost as to what to do, it’s the Bike that are helping to alleviate the suffering that he’s barking at.
All the roads he announced will be repaired or reconstructed as soon as possible are still the same thing. From Badagry to Ikorodu , Epe, Alimosho, etc.
Infact all the 5 divisions of Lagos state is worse than he met them.

englishmart:
I think Nigeria should create a state or States for the poor. They are making live increasingly despondent and unbearable for the poor.

NGpatriot:
The same people crying here will come tomorrow to remind us how beautiful and clean Rwanda is, but they will tolerate, support and defend what Rwanda wont tolerate to keep their city clean.

They love to compare other countries with Nigeria and bore us to death how about how Nigeria is backward, dirty and lawless, but their are too clueless to figure out that they themselves are pathetic reflection of everything that's bad about Nigeria.

They will go to the other countries that they compare Nigeria with and obey their laws over there, but when they get back to Nigeria, they won't obey the laws, they wont support measures and laws designed to reflect orderliness and cleanliness.

They want to live in a beautiful and well governed country like America and Europe, but they can not obey the laws that the people in America and Europe abide by.

Nigeria is not ready, there are just too many lawless and unruly people.

qualityovenbake:
Nobody is escaping Lagos State traffic wahala. We are all in this together.

JonDon12:
This stupid administration cannot even deal with tankers on its roads or decongest the Ports yet you are chasing small okada riders. I remember when I was getting visas in Lagos, if not for Okada, I wont be where I am today. Thank u guys. Nigerians instead of fighting corruption, you are stifling hardwork, innovation and entrepreneurship. Nigerians need to start embracing and supporting small business people. If you cant help them, get out of their way.