"This action is with immediate effect and shall suffice until further notice. By this development, all activities of commercial motorcyclists are henceforth, restricted to internal confines of Ore town and other communities in the area."
Ondo State government has banned commercial motorcyclists, aka Okada riders, from plying routes linking Ore to Lagos expressway.
Donald Ojogo, the spokesman for the government, said in a statement today (Thursday) that the decision was made following rising incidents of robbery, kidnapping andkilling on the Ore-Lagos routes.
The statement said: "The government has observed with serious concern, the activities of some unscrupulous elements who have hidden under the guise of engaging in the motorcycle business, popularly known as Okada, to perpetrate a crime on the Ofosu-Ajebamidele route along the Ore Expressway.
"Disturbed by the activities of these criminal elements which include armed robbery, kidnapping, their mode of operations as well as the heightening cases of loss of lives, the Ondo State Government has placed a total ban on commercial motorcycles (Okada) along the entire
stretch of the route in question.
"This action is with immediate effect and shall suffice until further notice. By this development, all activities of commercial motorcyclists are henceforth, restricted to internal confines of Ore town and other communities in the area. Security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police, are consequently directed to apprehend forthwith, anyone who flouts this restriction order.
"Government appeals to the general public to co-operate with security agencies in the enforcement of this action in order to stem the growing rate of criminal activities along the area."