We are after foreign 'Okada' riders - Lagos CP

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Abiodun Alabi, says the command is after foreigners operating as commercial motorcyclists in the state.

Alabi disclosed this on Friday in an interview with NAN in Lagos.

He said that the command was aware of some foreigners operating as motorcyclists in the state and that they were after them.

The CP spoke while parading 13 suspects by the command, allegedly involved in various crimes in the last one month.

NAN repots that many of the motorcyclists operating in Lagos and some neighbouring states Nigeriens, Togolese, Beniniors and Chadians.

“We are aware that many commercial motorcyclists operating in Lagos are foreigners and we have commenced routing checks with the aim of profiling them.

“When we finish the profiling, we will hand them over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and possible repatriation,” he said.

On the inflow of motorcycles into Lagos State, Alabi said the command was activating the old strategy by deploying officers to all border towns to check every means of importing motorcycle in the state.

“We are going to carry out the old strategy by ensuring that no motorcycle comes into the state. We will seize any motorcycle found in any vehicle coming into Lagos,” he said.

The police commissioner had on Thursday, advised that people should stop giving out motorcycles as means of empowerment, but adopt other meaningful venture.

Alabi, on Thursday was reacting to the total ban of commercial motorcycles in some local government areas in Lagos.

“People buying Okada (motorcycles) as empowerment for people should have a rethink.

“The fact remains that banning okada in Lagos while some people are bringing them in through empowerment is giving police problem in implementing the already existing laws,”he said.