Wike bans ‘Okada’ in four troubled Rivers LGAs

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has banned the operation of commercial motorcyclists, popularly called ‘Okada,’ between 5pm and 8am daily in four troubled local government areas of the state.

The ban, which took effect Sunday, February 14, is for security reasons, a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, special assistant to Governor Wike on electronic media, said.

The four local government areas are: Abua/Odual, Ahoada East, Ahoada West and Ogba/ Egbema/ Ndoni (ONELGA), which in the last couple of months, have been mired in terrible insecurity, orchestrated by kidnapping, armed attacks and inter-cult wars.

Nwakaudu said the stipulated ban on the operation of ‘Okada’ in the local government areas was indefinite. Meanwhile, Wike has directed security agencies to enforce the ban.

He said he regretted any inconveniences the ban would cause residents, businesses and commercial motorcyclists in the affected local government areas.

The governor, however, called on all stakeholders in the mentioned local government areas to cooperate with the state government and security agencies to improve the security situation in their communities.

Since the end of 2014 and much of 2015, inter-cult wars by armed gangs, maiming by different rival groups, political thuggery and vengeance killing mission have taken a great human and property toll on the four LGAs, which incidentally, are geographically contiguous.

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