News
June 1: Police, Army, NSCDC, Others Synergise to Enforce Okada Ban, Hold Show of Force Parade
By Eric Elezuo
As Lagos State sets to enforce total ban of motorcycle transportation in selected areas of the state, a combined parade of security agencies has been carried out at the Lagos Police Command, Ikeja.
Tagged a show of force, the men and officers saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the ban is adhered to the later, under the aegis of Lagos State Task Force, were seen in high spirit, demonstrating their readiness to crush any opposition to constituted authority.
Speaking exclusively to Pointbalnk.ng, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Lagos Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said that there is no looking back as the ban is total.
“If for any reason, there is an opposition as we enforce the ban, the said opposition will be totally brought down. The enforcement will be total,” Hundeyin said.
In his response, the Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Douglas Eweka, said that there is no going back to the directive of Governor Sanwo-Olu as regards the enforcement of total ban of okada operations beginning with the under mentioned six local government areas.
“As we speak, our men are already patrolling the town in readiness for the operation beginning June 1. And we are in synergy with the Police and the military to ensure that this is done,” Eweka said.
It will be recalled that the government of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, placed a blanked ban on motorcycle transport operation, popularly known as Okada, in six local governments of the state, and the LCDAs under them, on May 18, 2022. The six local governments listed by the governor are Ikeja, Surulere, Eti-Osa, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island, and Apapa. This was as a follow up to the February 2020 restriction placed on the activities of commercial motorcycles.
The ban, which came on the heels of the extrajudicial and gruesome murder of a sound engineer, David Imoh, by okada riders at the Lekki area of the state on Thursday May 12, 2022, is expected to take off fully on June 1, 2022, and was long overdue, according to residents, saying that the menace of the riders has become a security challenge.
Following the governor’s pronouncement of the ban, the Lagos State Task Force led by CSP Shola Jejeloye conducted a raid on okada riders in Lekki, and arrested over 10 riders, and impounded 123 motorcycles.
Announcing the ban, which Sanwo-Olu said would be “indefinite and total”, directives were handed out to the Commissioner of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) during a meeting at the State House in Alausa.
Sanwo-Olu said the Government took the decision in line with the State’s Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 to immediately address the chaos and menace created by the operations of Okada in the listed areas.
He said, “After a critical review of our restriction on Okada activities in the first six Local Government Areas where we restricted them on February 1, 2020, we have seen that the menace has not abated. We are now directing a total ban on Okada activities across the highways and bridges within these six Local Government and their Local Council Development Areas, effective from June 1, 2022.
“This is a phased ban we are embarking on this period, and we expect that within the short while when this ban will be enforced, Okada riders in other places where their activities are yet to be banned can find something else to do. We have given the notice now and we expect all commercial motorcycles plying the routes in the listed councils and areas to vacate the highways before enforcement begins. The enforcement will be total.”
The governor has mandated the security operatives to enforce the ban order without compromise.
By Eric Elezuo
The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed Badaru, and a two-term former governor of Jigawa State, has resigned his appointment. This is shortly after the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa (retd) visited Aso Rock Villa, and had a closed door meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
The resignation, which is with immediate effect, according to statement credited to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is contained in a letter dated December 1, 2025, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu. Badaru, who is 63 years, quoted health grounds as reason for quitting his job.
The statement added that “President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation.
“President Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week.
His resignation comes amid President Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency, with plans to elaborate on its scope in due course.
He served as defence minister for 27 months since August 21, 2023.
The immediate past Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has responded to Governor Monday Okpebholo, insisting that no one can bar him from entering Benin City, the State capital.
Obaseki’s response followed Okpebholo’s claim that the former governor would not return to the State because he is allegedly unpopular with the people.
Okpebholo stated this during an interview at the weekend that Edo remains firmly behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing what he described as the President’s achievements in the State. He added that he would resign if Tinubu fails to secure re-election in 2027.
He further claimed that Obaseki lacks the courage to visit the State to campaign for anyone other than Tinubu, alleging that the former governor would face rejection from residents, including children, due to what he described as Obaseki’s poor governance record.
“Everybody is for Asiwaju, who is Obaseki? Does he have one anywhere here? Let him come here now. He cannot come. His poor record will prevent him from going to Edo.
“Obaseki dares not come here. If Asiwaju does not win his re-election, I will resign as a governor,” he declared.
In a viral video on Monday, Obaseki countered that Okpebholo, whom he referred to as a man from a village in Edo State, lacks the authority to stop him from entering the State.
The former governor added that he deliberately avoided commenting on Okpebholo’s administration since leaving office, to allow his successor room to perform.
“When you start with violence, you will reap violence. For one year since I left office, I have not said a word on his government, I have said to myself that I would give them the opportunity to shine.
“Suddenly, he started attacking my personality and threatening me. That was enough; he brought people to Manchester to attack me.
“This week, this governor had a disgraceful press conference, where he was threatening me. Somebody born in Oredo. This is a villager threatening me that I cannot come to Benin, and that when I come, he will show me. Me! When I am ready to go, we will all come. This is an insult,” he said.
Speaking on Friday night at the ongoing Plateau Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival in Jos, Obasanjo said the Federal government must urgently deploy modern technology to curb killings, noting that with technology, no criminal should be beyond the reach of security agencies, as the country has the capacity to take them out.
“In these days of technology, there should be nobody who can hide after committing a crime,” he said. “Before I left government, we had the capacity to pick up anybody in Nigeria once identified… Every Nigerian life matters, whether Christian, Muslim or pagan. Nigerians are being killed; this must stop.”
He insisted Nigerians have the right to seek international partnership if domestic efforts fall short, arguing that saving lives must remain the nation’s priority.
Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, who also addressed the gathering, reassured citizens that Nigeria would overcome its current trials. “By the grace of God, those who want Nigeria destroyed will not succeed,” he declared, praying that national and state leaders continue to receive strength and wisdom to act rightly.
The governor said the annual carol event was inspired by the vision of uniting the people of Plateau through worship and thanksgiving. “God is delighted when we come together in unity to exalt His name,” he said. “Despite all odds, we are gathered again this year to celebrate the goodness of God in the land of the living.”
Mutfwang welcomed dignitaries in attendance, including former President Obasanjo; General Lawrence Onoja (rtd.); former Governors of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye and Jonah Jang, who attended with his wife, Ngo Talatu; former Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen; former Governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna; former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd.); and the GOC 3 Division, Major General Folorunsho Oyinlola, among others.
Expressing delight in the diversity of worshippers, the governor said Plateau citizens put aside denominational differences to worship under one banner. “With unity, we will shut the door against the enemy that troubles us,” he said.
The event featured ministrations from renowned gospel artistes including Buchi, Uche Etiaba, Pastor Chingtok, and choirs drawn from various denominations.
