Kwara govt raises alarm over influx of unidentified Okada riders
The Kwara State Government has urged transport union leaders to ensure full compliance with the ongoing Kwara State Residents Registration exercise among their members, particularly commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators, as part of efforts to strengthen security across the state.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Hon. Lafia Aliyu Korasabi, made the call during an emergency security stakeholders’ meeting held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Ilorin on Tuesday.
Korasabi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling security challenges and protecting lives and property, describing the residents’ registration exercise as a key component of the state’s security strategy and a vital tool for effective law enforcement.
He expressed concern over the increasing influx of unidentified motorcycle operators into the state, noting that the trend comes at a time when some parts of Kwara are facing security threats.
According to him, compliance with the data capture exercise being conducted by the Kwara State Residents Registration Agency (KWASRRA) will enable security agencies to distinguish legitimate transport operators from criminal elements disguising themselves as commercial riders.
While noting that residents’ registration is the statutory responsibility of KWASRRA, the Commissioner stressed that maintaining security is a collective responsibility.
“As bona fide citizens of Kwara State, we must not leave issues of security solely to government security agencies. Security is a collective responsibility that must be taken seriously and addressed decisively,” he said.
Korasabi commended the cordial relationship and cooperation among transport unions under the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and urged them to sustain their support as the government intensifies efforts to secure the state.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Adviser on Security Matters, Hon. Aliyu Muyideen, lauded the government’s sustained interventions in addressing security concerns across the state.
He explained that motorcycle operations remain permissible in Kwara due to Governor AbdulRazaq’s consideration of the prevailing economic realities and the potential social consequences of a total ban.
Muyideen, however, urged motorcycle and tricycle operators to comply fully with government directives to support ongoing efforts to safeguard lives and preserve Kwara’s reputation as the “State of Harmony.”
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Ibrahim Orire, also commended the Ministry’s proactive approach to addressing security challenges.
He advocated stricter enforcement of the existing 9:00 p.m. restriction on motorcycle operations, saying the measure would help curb banditry and other criminal activities.
Orire further called on transport union leaders to strengthen intelligence gathering and improve communication among zonal leaders across the state’s 16 local government areas.
Representatives of the Vehicle Inspection Unit (VIU) and the Kwara Road Traffic Management Authority (KWARTMA) highlighted security gains recorded by their agencies and proposed additional measures, including route identification for transport operators, to further enhance security.
Speaking on behalf of transport unions, the Chairman of the Motorcycle Operators Union of Nigeria, Hon. Azeez Arisekola, commended the residents’ registration initiative and announced the unions’ decision to partner with the government to ensure its success.
He encouraged transport operators to embrace the exercise, noting that it would help identify genuine operators and shield them from undue suspicion.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Alhaji Abdulrasaq Ariwoola, and the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji AbdulRahman Olayinka Onikijipa, pledged their support and promised to mobilise members for full compliance.
The meeting, attended by representatives of the Kwara State Police Command, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), KWARTMA, the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), and other stakeholders, ended with a renewed commitment to strengthening security and promoting peaceful coexistence across Kwara State.
