Banning Okadas will increase Crime - Motorcycle union

 

The amalgamated Commercial Motorcyle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria has said the ban on commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada across the country may constitute a serious threat to national security and ultimately increase the rate of crime in the country.



The President of the association, Alhaji Muhd Hassan, said this while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Saturday.

He argued that the ban on Okada could force the riders to become ready tools in the hands of Boko Haram.

He said the commercial motorcycle riders, who had become idle because of the ban by various state governments, could easily be cajoled by Boko Haram to carry our their assignments for a fee.
He said, “If someone is idle and Boko Haram calls him for an errand to earn some money, he may not have any choice because of the need to survive.”

He said the ban would aggravate the worsening security in the society as the government had not made alternative job placements for the commercial motorcycle riders who had become idle as a result of the ban.

He therefore urged the government to take a second look at the decision.
Hassan put the number of the commercial motorcycle riders affected by the ban at 10 million.
According to him, the businesses of several other people had been affected adversely by the ban on Okada, such as mechanics and spare parts dealers.