Lagos Taskforce Unleashes Crackdown On Defiant Okada Riders, Illegal Squatters Along Red Line Rail Corridor

• 359 Commercial Motorcycles Impounded, Shanties Demolished

• Operation Targets Fagba Rail Track, Iju-Ishaga, Abbatoir, and Pen Cinema

• Miscreants Put Up Resistance, But Outwitted by Taskforce’s Tactical Superiority

Eko Hot Blog reports that in a firm display of commitment to curb the menace of illegal commercial motorcycle operations and unauthorized settlements along the rail tracks, the Lagos State Task Force embarked on a two-day operation that saw the impounding of 359 bikes and the demolition of shanties along the Fagba corridor.

This decisive action comes as a follow-up after the launch of the Red Line Rail project by the Lagos State Government.

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The Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye, led the operation, which covered areas like Fagba Rail Track, Iju-Ishaga, Abbatoir, and Pen Cinema, resulting in the confiscation of bikes operating on restricted routes, state highways, and bridges located in those areas.

Jejeloye disclosed that miscreants loitering around the abattoir supported the defiant okada operators in resisting arrest, causing mayhem to prevent the confiscation of the bikes.

However, their efforts were thwarted by the tactical and combatant superiority of the Lagos State Taskforce.

“It was a complex operation seizing these bikes from their recalcitrant operators due to the presence of miscreants lurking around the abattoir. They threw stones and objects at us to thwart our efforts, but they were no match for our tactical superiority,” Jejeloye stated.

He revealed that the Agency, after a month of launching the Red Line Railway project by the State Government, cleared out shanties that had sprung up again along the Fagba Rail track and confiscated bikes that operate along the tracks.

“The presence of okada and shanties along the rail tracks pose significant safety risks to residents, passersby, and commuters who choose to patronize both the train and commercial motorcycle. Clearing them completely improves the aesthetic appeal of the rail area and would also mitigate encroachment on rail infrastructure in the State,” he added.

Jejeloye stated that criminality and hooliganism, which are prevalent in the areas, are enabled mainly by okada operators and squatters who turn to crime and rob innocent residents and train commuters. He disclosed that the confiscation of motorcycles would go a long way in reducing crime and incidents of bag snatching, as most perpetrators make use of okada as a getaway means.

“We will keep going till every okada operator gets the message that Lagos Highways and other restricted routes are no place for okada. If you want to operate Okada, you either abide by the rules or risk having your bikes impounded,” he maintained.

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The Lagos State Task Force’s resolute stance against the menace of illegal commercial motorcycle operations and unauthorized settlements along the rail tracks underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and orderliness of the state’s transportation infrastructure.

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