The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, in a statement on Sunday, hailed the operators for complying with the restriction in six local government areas, major highways and bridges.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the enforcement of the State Security Council’s order began on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020.

”The level of compliance was over 90 per cent. In fact, some of the ride hailing companies directed their riders to obey the directive. This is commendable.

”The high level of compliance has shown that Lagosians agree with the government on the need to stop the danger that commercial motorcycles and tricycles have become – a big threat to safety of lives and security of our people. They should stand firm in supporting the government.

”The little discomfort experienced by commuters on some routes due to the absence of motorcycles and tricycles is noted. This will not last, as alternatives are being rolled out.

”A fleet of 65 buses will join the others on some major routes as from Monday, Feb. 3, 2020,” Omotoso said.

He said that no less than 550 more buses were being expected and 14 ferries would be commissioned on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020.

According to him, this will further open up the waterways, reduce travel time on various routes and provide safe, dependable and comfortable alternatives for commuters.

The commissioner said that the government was not unaware that enforcing this directive might lead to some job losses.

He said that the Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, planned to announce some measures to tackle the likely effects of the order.

Omotoso said that this was besides the programmes of various agencies, such as the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Office of Civic Engagement, Lagos State Parks and Gardens (LASPARK), among others.

”The government hereby warns all those who are planning to unleash violence on the state because of the ongoing enforcement to have a change of heart.

”Lagosians are peace loving and law abiding people, who will not embrace any disruption of their legal activities by failed politicians hiding under the evil of unwholesome activism.

”The law enforcement agents have been directed to ensure that nobody takes the law into his hands.

”The government places a very high premium on law and order in the interest of all Lagosians. It will not fail to act when peace is threatened,” he said.

The post Lagos puts compliance level on motorcycle, tricycle ban at 90% appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

The affected LGs are the state capital Ikeja, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island, Apapa, Surulere and Eti Osa. The ban will come into effect on February 1.

“After consultations with stakeholders, the State Security Council, in compliance with the extant Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, has decided to commence enforcement of the law which bans the operation of Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) in the following Local Governments (LGs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs),” Lagos State information and strategy commissioner Gbenga Omotosho said at a press conference.

The ban affects the local council development areas (LCDAs) under the LG. They are Apapa LG- Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LG – Yaba LCDA, Surulere LG- Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs, Ikeja LG- Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs, Eti-Osa LG- Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs, Lagos Island LG- Lagos Island East LCDA.

Omotosho said the ban is the first stage of the state government’s plan to sanitize its “roads and protect Lagosians from the negative effects of these illegal modes of transportation.”

“The Law is very clear. Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) are banned on all highways, bridges and the listed roads,” Omotosho said.

The post Lagos bans okada, keke in Ikeja, Apapa, four other LGs appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

The Commission’s Zonal Head of Operations, Abdullahi Lawal, spoke in Sokoto while handing over 53 tricycles recovered from a contractor to the Zamafara State government.

The Zone comprises Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

Lawal said the cases ranging from individuals, public and private corporate organisations, Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) were part of over 200 petitions received in the zone.

According to him, the commission had frozen all bank accounts linked to the fraudulent activities in the course of investigation.

He said: “The commission is carrying out a clinical investigation into the activities of the last administration and we are assuring you and Zamafara State government that we will not relent on our oars in prosecuting anyone found culpable.”

The tricycles were handed over to the Secretary to the Zamfara State Government (SSG), Alhaji Bala Bello Maru.

He explained that the recovery was part of the anti-graft agency’s painstaking and diligent investigation that led to the handover of the Keke NAPEP.

The Zonal Head, however, warned that contractors who have collected full or part payments and yet to commence, complete and or handover projects should mobilise to site in own interest.

“The commission will pretty soon embark on aggressive monitoring and evaluation in collaboration with experts from FMWH and COREN to ensure jobs are qualitative and completed within time and according specification,” Lawal stressed.

He further appealed to the public for their cooperation by not hesitating to give vital information on corrupt practices in MDAs, private sectors as well by public officials, especially those living above their means.

Reminding the public that the whistle blower policy is still in place, Lawal stressed: “The Federal Government is determined to ‘kill’ the monster called corruption in its entirety.”

He urged the Zamfara government to distribute the recovered tricycles to beneficiaries and ensure they were used judiciously as this would go a long way to reduce the spate of poverty in the state.

Maru commended the anti-graft agency for its spirit of resilience towards fighting corruption and for making efforts to ensure such recoveries for the state, especially on projects not executed by contractors.

The SSG said: “We appreciate the efforts of the Zonal Office and the agency as whole for demonstrating commitment to course, which is an achievement for us in Zamfara state and Nigeria.”

Maru renewed the readiness of the state government to support and collaborate with the agency for more recoveries, promising to support the cardinal mandate of EFCC.

He added: “We will forward the list of beneficiaries, contact and all necessary details for the record of EFCC and we will invite you to the distribution ceremony.”

According to him, evidences have been established on the over N200 billion worth of cases under EFCC investigation.

Describing the recovery of the tricycles as symbolic, Maru added: “Billions have been recovered and a lot are being expected.

“But, going by the petitions before the state government, it is about N2 trillion. Even the social media report is N900 billion. But, that is not the case; we are working with official record of investigation which is N200 billion.”

“The recoveries would surely support the state government’s drive against poverty and as well add value to its economy. It will also empower individuals by uplifting their socio-economic status.”

The post Ex-Governor Yari govt under probe for N200bn ‘fraud’ appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

The suspect, Ekene Chukwuan, 21-year-old, was arrested in the early hours of Thursday after he and four other members of his gang broke into an apartment at 49, Falana Street, Iyana-Ejigbo Lagos, and carted away one tricycle and one motorcycle at around 2:00 am.

Ekene, native of Enugu State, told the police during interrogation about how he was introduced into motorcycle and tricycle stealing business by his mentor named ‘Alhaji’.

“I relocated from Amukoko to Ijora in search for greener pasture because I was told there is money in Ijora and Mushin. I work as a truck pusher at Ojuade market where I helped people convey their goods from one location to another before Alhaji told me to stop the work for better one.

“Alhaji told me he was called for a work by one ‘Ajona’ and asked me if I will like to join in the job, promising me a better pay and less stress. I accepted Alhaji’s idea but didn’t know we are going for stealing,” he added.

“On getting to Ejigbo, Ajona who is the leader told us to stay in a place till night fall before entering into the apartment where we unchained a motorcycle and a tricycle. We put the motorcycle inside the tricycle while Ajona drove with two others in the tricycle.

“We were on our way when we met RRS men who stopped us but we refused to stop. So they (RRS) chased us. We were at full speed trying to escape when we crashed before taking to our heels, but the police caught me,” he confessed.

Ekene in his statement to the Police claimed, “we sell stolen Keke Napep between N75,000 to N80,000, while motorcycles are sold between N30,000 to N40,000.”

The owner of the motorcycle, Mr. Nduka Oyekachi Innocent, who was alerted of the theft and invited to RRS Office, said “I parked my tricycle in my compound at 49, Falana Street, Iyana-Ejigbo, and went to bed. I woke up the following morning only to discover that the keke was missing.

“I searched everywhere, including the drainages because I was so much devastated and worried about the debt and how to take care of my family. Immediately, I went to Ejigbo Police Station to report the incident before I was informed later that RRS officers have arrested one of the suspected thieves.”

Nduka, 31, noted that he wept like a baby on discovering that his keke was missing because he got the keke on hire-purchase from a businessman. He was to repay the sum of N1,000,000 within a period of one and half year according to the hire-purchase agreement he signed.

He explained further that, the businessman gave him the keke in February 2017 which he had just repaid N220,000 out the N1,000,000.

Recovered from the suspect were iron cutter, tricycle and motorcycle.

The suspect has been transferred to the Lagos Police State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

The post We sell stolen Keke NAPEP for N75,000 – Suspect appeared first on New Mail Nigeria.

The state government banned the operations of commercial motorcycles early in the year to check the rising wave of crime in the state.

In some markets, where bicycles are sold in Minna, the prices of the product have risen with fairly used ones costing more because of customers’ preference for them.

A bicycle seller, Farouk Umar, said that the prices ranged from N13, 000 to N20, 000. “A big bicycle now sells for between N18, 000 and N20, 000 but before now, it was selling for N16, 000. The average size one which was selling for N13, 000 now goes for N15, 000,’’ he said.

Malam Yerima Musa, a bicycle rider, also said that the ban made it necessary for him to acquire a bicycle to enable him to move around easily.

“I had to buy a bicycle to ease my movement around town because the Keke Napep (tricycle) operators introduced to replace “okada” have designated routes.

“So, I bought this bicycle to be able to access any part of town at any time of the day, because even if you are a private motorcycle owner, you cannot use it beyond a certain time of the day,” he said

Also, Saleh Ibrahim, a bicycle owner, said he had resorted to riding bicycles because of the hike in transportation fares, particularly with the recent scarcity of petrol.

“I have decided to get my bicycle to cope with the high transport fare., so, I got this bicycle to make life easier for myself,” he said.

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