By Ola Ajayi

IBADAN – Commercial motorcyclists popularly called okada riders have constituted nuisance on major roads in Oyo State particularly in major cities like Ibadan, Saki,    Ogbomoso, Eruwa, Oyo, Igboho  and others. Due to non-observance of traffic rules and regulations, they have caused the death of hundreds of people and maimed several others.

Snatching andkidnapping

File photo: Okada riders

Many of the riders, at times, carry as many as five to six people in areas where there are no law enforcement agents. They are mostly notorious on major roads at Challenge, Ologuneru-Eruwa road, Orita Challenge, Molete, Oke Ado, Beere, Oja Oba, Sango, UI-Sasa-Ojoo roads.

Besides, the State Police command has arrested and paraded hundreds of them for criminal activities ranging from armed robbery, rape, car snatching to kidnapping.

In a recent accident at Iwo road interchange, Ibadan, an okada rider died instantly when a Lagos bound articulated vehicle crushed his head. The accident led to breakdown of law and order as youths in their hundreds besieged the office of the Vehicle Inspection Officers at Idi-Ape, Ibadan and vandalized it.

A leader of Okada riders at Ologuneru axis, Mukaila Mojeed said his union always organizes seminars for okada riders on how to ride safely on roads adding that most of the crimes committed are the handiwork of okada riders who are not registered. According to him, punishments are meted out to any member of the union who violates traffic offence.