VIO, Police caution tricycle, okada riders against plying one-way

Tricycle and motorcycle riders, popularly known as okada have been warned against plying one-way and overtaking heavy vehicles to avoid the high rate of accidents recorded on roads.
The warning was given during a workshop and sensitisation programme on ‘Riders and Passengers Safety in Our Roads’ organised by the Nigeria Policing Programme (NPP) in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corp, National Union of Road Transport Workers and other partners held in Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Council, Lagos.
Speaking at the workshop, the representative of the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), Abdulfatai Ali stressed that okada and tricycle riders contribute majority of the accidents witnessed on Lagos roads as they go against traffic laws in order to get to their destination on time.
He said they engage in reckless driving as they also risk the lives of their passengers by overtaking heavy vehicles that carry containers, tankers among others, which could lead to accident and loss of lives
“They should be careful of how they ply the road, they take any available route to avoid traffic, they even overtake tankers, trailers and other big vehicles, putting at risk the lives of their passengers.
“We are concern about the safety of drivers, we are not wicked or wish bad for them. Plying one way is contributing to traffic on our roads. If you refuse to work together with the law enforcement agencies, you will be arrested and fined, which is why we sensitisation them,” he lamented.
Also speaking, the Divisional Police Officer, Red House, Iju, SP Nkiruka Ugwu, represented by Crime Officer, Iju Police Division, Akeem Areh said all road users, regardless of their status including uniform men must obey traffic rules and regulations for the safety of lives and properties.
She said about 90 per cent of road accidents are caused by negligence of okada and tricycle riders, describing drivers that ply one way route as psychiatric patients, who are embarking on suicidal attempt.
“Those who ply one way are moving towards committing suicide. People on the wheel should be patient in traffic. Why should uniform men go against traffic law because they have the advantage of being on uniform. They don’t have to go against the law which ensures protection of life and properties,”
Ugwu stressed that victims of accidents are innocent passengers and pedestrians as vehicles most times vie off the road to knock down people sitting in their shops or front of their houses due to reckless driving, leaving many dead.