The Arewa community in Lagos State has thrown its weight behind the state government’s ban on Okada operation in the state, urging its members to comply with the directive.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, had few days ago, imposed complete ban on Okada operation in six local government areas of the state.
The decision followed the lynching of a sound engineer identified as David Umoh in the Lekki area of the state by suspected Okada riders over N100 change.
The Arewa community backed the move after a meeting of the group on Sunday where issues bordering on the Okada ban by the state government were discussed.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the group charged its members to avoid commuting in the Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Eti-Osa, and Ikeja areas affected by the ban.
Part of the communiqué read, “We resolved today unanimously that all our members must comply with the provisions of the laws of Lagos State. We are law abiding citizens and will always continue to intimate all our members to continue to be law abiding and operate only within the ambits of the law. We support all measures taken by the Lagos State Government in its efforts toward protecting lives and property of all Lagosians.”
The community, however, pointed out that crimes associated with Okada were most times committed by foreigners.
“We condemn in totality the activities of all criminal elements, who are mostly foreigners from Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon, and other neighbouring countries who have infiltrated the ranks of genuine riders, thereby perpetrating all forms of crime in Lagos State,” the statement added.