Commercial motorcyclists, often known as Okada, have been ordered to cease all operations in the cities of Umuahia and Aba by Governor Alex Otti of Abia State.
On Sunday night, Governor Otti released a statement through his Chief Press Secretary Kazie Uko saying that as of the next Monday, August 14, 2023, the security forces in Umuahia and Aba townships will confiscate any motorcycles they find being utilized for this purpose.
He ordered the security forces in both cities to detain anyone they find disobeying the order and bring them to justice.
The announcement did not specify why okada use was being outlawed, although some sources indicated it was related to the state government’s efforts to reduce violence in certain neighborhoods in both cities.
Some have argued that the state government’s restriction will only make things worse for young people already struggling to find work.
Critics have pushed the Abia State government to extend the ban on okada use to include some security personnel as well as the general public.
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