To say nuisance its an understatement. Commercial motorcyclists popularly called okada
riders have constituted nuisance on major roads in Oyo State
particularly in major cities like Ibadan, Saki, Ogbomoso,
Eruwa, Oyo, Igboho and others. Due to non-observance of
traffic rules and regulations, they have caused the death of
hundreds of people and maimed several others.
Snatching and kidnapping
Many of the riders, at times, carry as many as five to six
people in areas where there are no law enforcement
agents. They are mostly notorious on major roads at
Challenge, Ologuneru-Eruwa road, Orita Challenge, Molete, Oke
Ado, Beere, Oja Oba, Sango, UI-Sasa-Ojoo roads.
Besides, the State Police command has arrested and paraded
hundreds of them for criminal activities ranging from armed
robbery, rape, car snatching to kidnapping.
In a recent accident at Iwo road interchange, Ibadan, an okada
rider died instantly when a Lagos bound articulated vehicle
crushed his head. The accident led to breakdown of law and
order as youths in their hundreds besieged the office of the
Vehicle Inspection Officers at Idi-Ape, Ibadan and vandalized
it.
A leader of Okada riders at Ologuneru axis, Mukaila Mojeed
said his union always organizes seminars for okada riders on
how to ride safely on roads adding that most of the crimes
committed are the handiwork of okada riders who are not
registered. According to him, punishments are meted out to
any member of the union who violates traffic offence.
