Lagos Taskforce seizes 18, 537 motorcycles, thousands of automobiles

In the past year, the Lagos State Taskforce has seized 18,537 motorcycles and 8,642 automobiles, collectively called okadas in the state.

CSP Shola Jejeloye, the Taskforce's chairman, revealed this as the rationale for examining the agency's operational actions in 2022.

“In the year 2022, we impounded 8,642 vehicles for various traffic offences ranging from driving on one-way, obstructing the free-flow of traffic, driving on the reserved BRT corridor and parking to pick or drop off passengers at unapproved bus stops in Lagos,” he said.

He claimed that every one of the offenders had received appropriate charges.

Jejeloye added that in 2022, commercial motorbikes, or "okadas," were outlawed in 9 LGAs and 6 LCDAs across the State, which resulted in the confiscation and seizure of 18,537 motorcycles for operating in defiance of the law.

“After court proceedings, 17,980 bikes were crushed in Alausa to serve as a deterrent to other intending okada operators.

“It was quite a herculean task enforcing the ban on the operations of okada in Lagos but we were up to the task. We carried out sting operations on various highways and other restricted routes to ensure that their activities were truncated.

The Chairman also emphasized a few of the impressive accomplishments made by the Agency in 2022, including the raid of criminal hideouts, the arrest of a one-chance syndicate, the demolition of shanties that posed environmental risks to Lagosians, and the cessation of land-grabbing activities in the State.

He also said that the Lagos State Taskforce had detained a number of dishonest people who were experts at damaging both public and private property.

“These are part of the gains achieved as a result of the synergy between agencies of the State Government through providing security backup for them when they encounter hindrances in the process of carrying out their legitimate duties,” he said.

Source