…As riders sue Gov Sanwo-Olu, others
On Friday, the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit, commonly known as Task Force, invited the media to witness the crushing of commercial motorcycles seized from riders who refused to obey the ban on their operation in certain parts of the State.
The enforcement of the ban, which began on Wednesday, has so far recorded near-total compliance by the riders, although some still went against the law and had their bikes seized.
The Task Force chairman, Shola Jejeloye, said there was 85 per cent compliance with the commercial motorcycle ban in the last three days.
A total of 2,228 motorcycles were awaiting destruction as of Friday, according to the leadership of the Task Force. It was also learnt that even before the reintroduction of the ban by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the clampdown had been on since January but the coming of the ban is now seeing to the final destruction of the seized bikes as a proof to the affected riders that the government means business this time.
The Director of Public Affairs of the task force, Gbadeyanka Raheem, said between January and May, 5,320 bikes were impounded and destroyed, while about eight were publicly crushed to demonstrate transparency. He said all the 2,228 impounded bikes would go the way of the ones before them.
By the time they are completely crushed, the state will have destroyed 7,548 bikes in about five months.
It was also learnt that after the bikes are crushed, the mangled parts would be taken to where the mould would be melted. What happens to the melted parts is what the official refused to say. The secrecy is believed to be an attempt to keep scavengers away.
Meanwhile, the commercial motorcycle riders union has dragged the Lagos State government before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The Trustees of Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria (MTUN) and others are praying for a declaration that the ban on Okada is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.
Other applicants in the suit are Comrade Peter Umoh, Pastor Tony Onuoha, David Abiona, Adebayo Oluwasegun, Gambo Muhammed, Yakubu Abubakar, Ayo Boluwade, Amaechi Peter and Nwamiri Monday.
The rest are Abayomi Adegbite, Oluwaseyi Funmi, Mohammed Kadi, Abdullahi Jigla, Nora Usman, Pastor Emmanuel Donatus, Sanni Abubakar and Nwibo Sunday.
Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Task Force, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and Commissioner for Transport, Lagos State are the defendants.
In the suit numbered FHC/L/CS/1016/2022, the applicants are praying the court for a declaration that the “purported proposed ban of the commercial motorcycle transportation in Lagos State by the governor, without hearing from the operators whose rights are affected or likely to be affected is a violation of the constitutional rights of the applicants to fear hearing, provided for and encapsulated in Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.”
The applicants also praying for a declaration that the ban of the business of commercial motorcycle transportation in Lagos by the government “is a violation of the rights of the applicants guaranteed by Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution as amended who cannot be alive without food and other means of sustenance and whose income is the business of commercial motorcycle transportation.”
In the alternative, they are praying the court to grant an order compelling the government to provide jobs for the teeming commercial motorcycle riders in the State.
In the affidavit in support of the application, sworn to by one Pastor Emmanuel Donatus, the deponent averred that he and other operators had no means of sustenance apart from the business of Okada.
They prayed the government to restrict Okada operations on major highways to “approved areas”, rather than banning their operations.
He also averred that during the regime of the former governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), his union was engaged by the government on how to regulate their operation in the State, including issuing identification cards to members and others.
He averred that by regulating the activities and operations of the riders, motorcycle related crimes will be reduced.
The suit is yet to be assigned.