The Oyo State Government has declared that it will prohibit and legally pursue any commercial motorcycle operator, commonly known as Okada, who operates without the state-approved jacket embedded with a QR code.
The Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) Chairman, Adekoya Adesagba, announced this in Ibadan. He encouraged residents to use only Okada services provided by riders wearing the official jackets, which are equipped with QR codes for straightforward verification.
Adesagba explained that the enforcement follows an increase in criminal activities involving unregistered riders. “A kidnapping attempt was recently foiled after locals reported suspicious riders without QR jackets on the UI-Agbowo axis,” he disclosed.
Other incidents include armed robbers on an unmarked motorcycle stealing a trader’s earnings at Bodija Market, and a passenger being robbed by a fraudulent Okada rider in the Challenge area.
“OYRTMA urges residents to patronize only Okada riders with these official jackets. The benefits include real-time rider verification, crime prevention, emergency tracking, and increased passenger trust,” Adesagba stated.
He cautioned that daily raids would persist, with non-compliant motorcycles seized and riders facing fines or legal action. “The government assures this policy is for the safety of all residents, and defaulters will be barred from operating on state roads,” he added.
The enforcement directive was also supported by the Office of the Governor through the Senior Special Assistant on ICT and E-Governance, Adebayo Akande.
The policy, which began in November 2023, mandates Okada and tricycle operators to register under the Oyo State Residents’ Registration Scheme. Despite initially providing free jackets, Adesagba noted that compliance has remained low. “This has emboldened criminals and led to increased Okada-related crimes,” he said.
The state plans to strengthen both enforcement and public awareness campaigns to ensure complete compliance.
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