Residents Stranded, as Government Enforces Okada Ban in Minna

Residents in Minna the capital of Niger State, were stranded following the enforcement of the ban on commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as okada.

Our reporters gathered that many people in the city found it difficult to access the buses and the Keke Talba (tricycles) provided by the state government to ease the effects of the ban.

Police and other security personnel were out on roads in the state capital arresting people who did not oblige with the ban, which took effect on January 2.

The government said the ban was aimed at checking the high rate of road accidents and crimes involving commercial motorcyclists.

NAN spoke to some residents in the city about the ban, here is what they said below:

A business man, Haruna Shehu, complained that the vehicles provided by the state government were not adequate

“Even though the buses and Keke NAPEP are cheap, since morning I have sighted just a few buses provided by the government to ease the situation. I don’t think that is enough to cater for the teeming population that depends on okada,” he said.

Another resident, Reng Ali, said with the new development, he now had to trek a long distance from his house to get a keke NAPEP to convey him to work every day.

“The problem with the ban is that these buses and keke NAPEP don’t ply every route like the okada people used to do. I will now have to start trekking long distances from my house to be able to get a keke like I did today,” he said.

Another commuter, Kehinde Abdulsalam, said, “I did not have it easy today, but I cannot go on complaining because it would not change anything, sometimes we have to make sacrifices.”