TRANSPORT: Now, Okada Riders Enjoy Free Ride in 'Restricted' Areas in Lagos

Less than two years into the implementation of the Lagos Road Traffic Law 2012, commercial motorcyclists (popularly known as okada riders) have returned to some of the roads the law prevents them from plying. Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Agege Motor Road, Lagos-Ikorodu Road, Iba-LASU Road and Isolo-Ikotun Road are among the routes okada riders have resumed their business uninterrupted.

When the law became fully operational about two years ago, the busy routes and other hundreds of inner city ones regained sanity, while motorcycle-rela

ted accidents reduced by over 50 per cent, according to statistics by the Lagos State Government.
But with the exception of the Third Mainland Bridge and a few other roads, especially on the Island, findings show that okadas, with their associated oddities, have returned to the expressways where they compete with other road users.
Some people have viewed the comeback as a response to an obvious need. For instance, those who commute between Apapa and Mile 2 said the perpetual gridlock on the route had left them with no option but to shuttle the places via motorbikes.
“If they insist okada should not ply the road, what options do commuters have? If you spend a whole day on the road, you may not still get to Wharf, unless you navigate through Surulere, which is also not predictable,” Dotun Adefarasin, a clearing agent, lamented.
With the worsening traffic jam on the Apapa road comes hundreds of okada riders to lessen (and also ironically compound) the pains of those who ply it regularly. What other motorists have done in the past months is to learn to tolerate okadas that move in droves on the busy way. Yet, they expect the riders to be more discrete in choosing where to park.

Enyinda Nathaniel Okey likes this.

Enyinda Nathaniel Okey

election don dey come,,, after they are used by APC, they will be dumped as usual

Endy Edeson

@okey: hahahahahaha. u are on point. i never thought of it, the govt want to manipulate them as usual but if only they can learn from their past. above all, they should know who to vote in the forthcoming election. they should vote any leader that is "OKADA FRIENDLY"

Enyinda Nathaniel Okey

there is nothing to learn. govt would go to the head agberos and empower them with cash... it is done

Azeez Adekoya Falcon

sometimes I go crazy wen it comes to politican issue buh sooner than I realise dAt all Nigeria politician has dis same goal. Progressive is now degressive even d Umbrella can not hold water again. Nw I believe dat we nw live in a revolution tym

Youngmoney Ojo Olusegun

Pls wen wl govt ban Agbero 4rm collecting money wit force nd sticks in dea hands like mad person in Lagos.?

Musediku Olalekan Ganiyu

This is election time for you. Crime can be committed at will.

Onuh Jude

Endy....like u said OKADA FRIENDLY...hhhhmmm hw I wish they've tested both.!..there's possibility of opposition party dumping dem as well after voting 4 dem.u can predict human being let alone of politicians. All am saying is dat they don't guarantee even after voting 4 dem nd their choices arre highly limited.