The Kwara State Government says the ban on Okada riders in some parts of Ilorin, metropolis is designed to curtail the emerging security challenges poised by Okada riders in the state.

The government stated this at a joint press conference between the Special Advisers to the Governor on Utility and Transport, Alhaji Bibire Ajape, on Labour matters, Comrade Bisi Fakayode and leaders of the Joint Association of Okada riders, Kwara State  Branch, Mr, Abdulraheem Akanbi.

Alhaji Ajape who addressed the conference said the ban on Okada riders in the affected areas was not witchaunt any body, but to curtail the incessant attacks by some faceless Okada riders who snatch peoples belongings on the road.

He observed that most of the criminal activities were perpetrated in the affected areas domiciled by Banks by motorcyclists.

The Special Adviser on Utility and Transport added that apart from the crimes being perpetrated, the motorcyclists and passengers were also exposed to avoidable accidents on the trunk A roads.

According to him, in the collective interest of members of the public and to guarantee the security of lives and property as well as protect Okada riders, the state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed approved council’s recommendation to regulate the activities of motorcyclists in line with global practices.

Alhaji Ajape said government believes that those who perpetrate the evil acts were not necessarily the recognized and registered Okada riders, but those who explore the opportunities created by the proliferation of Okada associations to wreck havoc on innocent citizens.

He said due to this, the state government commenced negotiations with representatives of the Joint Commercial Motorcycle Riders Association to find a common platform and explain government position on the need to restructure their operations.

The meeting which snowballed into another meeting with over sixty five Okada riders associations agreed to regulate the operation of the associations for both security reasons and protect the operators and their passengers.

Towards this end, the meeting recommended that apart from common uniform for Okada riders that would bear personalized security numbers, the over sixty five associations has been reduced to seven.

Also speaking, the chairman of the Joint Okada Riders Association, Mr. Abdulraheem Akanbi and Assistant Secretary, Mr. Muritala Yusuf, condemned the protest carried out by some Okada riders in Ilorin, saying that they were not their members.

They pledged that the Association would continue to abide by the recommendations of the state government on the ban of Okada riders in some parts of the metropolis and called on security agents to fish out the bad eggs among them.