Ogun Security Operatives Urge motorcycle Riders To Key Into Ongoing Registration

Concerned by the rising spate of crime cases committed through the aid of motorcycle, security operatives in the State have urged all okada taxi operators to key into the on-going registration exercise of motorcycle taxi operators.

The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Ajogun, made this known during a periodic stakeholders security meeting with the Nigeria Police, Directorate of Security Services, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Roads Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, the Western Security Network (AMOTEKUN), Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Ogun State Vehicle Inspection Service, SO Safe Corps and leaders of Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners, Repair and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), Articulated Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (AMORAN) and Riders and Owners Motorcycle Organisation (ROMO), at Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) Hall, Ogun State Nigeria Police Command Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta.

He charged all motorcycle Unions to facilitate effective mobilization of members to forestall lingering insecurity with demonstrable links to Okada riders, adding that anyone found not complying would be prevented from operating in the State.

The Commissioner of Police emphasized that the registration of riders was sacrosanct and must enjoy the support of all security operatives, as it would assist in the quick identification of real riders, genuine number plates; thereby aiding crime prevention and detection in the State.

He directed all various commands and units to mobilize all apparatus in support of the compliance process.

He maintained that fake number plates have been traced to be commonly used to perpetrate crimes and criminality, asking motorcycle Unions to fast-track the registration process to avoid infiltration of their ranks by fake riders.

“In no longer distance, a total joint enforcement would commence wherefore drivers license, riders license, riders permit, hackney permit, evidence of number plates registration and other relevant instruments of operation in the transport sector would be demanded for, all in efforts at discovering fake or unregistered motorcycle taxi operators, fake number plates and others", Ajogun remarked

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Gbenga Dairo charged all riders to cooperate with the exercise irrespective of Union affiliation, maintaining that the on-going registration process would henceforth become a precondition to registration of motorcycles and obtaining of other operation permits in the State.

 "As a responsible and responsive government that is primarily concerned with security of lives and properties, we align with the arrangement of the security operatives and motorcycle transport Union to register all commercial motorcycle taxi operators in the State, as it would help stem down security and safety challenges, especially the ones with demonstrable links with some Okada riders.

By this, I enjoin all motorcycle taxi operators to abide by this directive by keying into the registration process as it is aimed at infusing confidence in the transport sector and would also avail the State government a means of accessing accurate data of all commercial motorcycle operators  in the State",  Dairo declared.

In his reaction, the State Chairman of ACOMORAN, Comrade Kayode Amos Sowunmi, revealed that an independent consultancy firm, Commercial Motorcycles Riders Identification Scheme (COMORIS), has been employed by the Unions to capture the data of commercial motorcycle taxi operators, motorcycle owners, next of kin, motorcycles and production of numbered reflective jackets with some security inputs on it.

He expressed the readiness of all Unions in supporting governments initiative and collaborating with security operatives at ridding the State off crimes and criminality, assuring that efforts at registering all motorcycle taxi operators would be accelerated while the present administration would continue to give more support towards ensuring more successes in the transport sector.