There is a thriving business operation within the logistics section of transportation sector now spreading across the nation.
In Nigeria, it abides as the offshoot of the Covid-19 pandemic global crisis. Enter dispatch or logistics operations using motorcycle of certain capacity for the services. Much earlier than 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak became a global concern, for instance, the Governor Ambode government in Lagos state foresaw the awaiting prospects and reached an agreement with a China based company. An improved and upgraded engine capacity facility bike of 200cc was approved for what was then known as passenger hail transportation system otherwise called Opay, Go-okada, etc to ease commuters traffic stress in the densely populated state. Although this awesome idea equally perished alongside the termination at the first tenure of the Lagos state ex-Governor Ambode. The war of attrition raging between the two ex-governors of Lagos state (who at the time best described as godfather versus godson) was carried over to the current Lagos state governor. The alibi for the partial ban of commercial bikes operations in Lagos state effective on February 1 2020 was hinged on security concerns. But only a few knew better.
However that operational prohibition on commercial bike in Lagos state had an adverse effect only on the conservative or stereotyped average riders or investors. Shortly after, while protests were proving futile, the dynamic ones began to rebrand or convert their bikes to pick and drop delivery of goods and services. No longer passengers. Before long, it saturated the entire nook and crannies of the state again. This writer at the time did not just own several fleets of bike but himself was a decent professional rider. Then the unionization of both logistics operators and riders in Lagos state, ensued. This act of having one body system indeed introduced sanity, decorum, sustained professionalism in their activities and both the host state government and the investors are no longer at loggerheads but each legitimately going about their business without let or hindrance. The normal issues surrounding obtaining operational papers and registrations have as well been made easier following the existing understanding reached between the governments agents and the logistics operators union.
Enveloped in the foregoing paragraph is the subject matter of this notification message to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja Police Command. The ability to preempt the commission of crime is the proof of intelligence and foresight of the security agent. The opposite of this only goes to glorify reactionary disposition and which condones mediocrity. On the first week of September 2022, along Ademola Adetokumbo Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, I witnessed an incident that only goes to indicate that ‘there is fire on the mountain, but no one is running’ (apologies to Asa). To cut a long story short, the aggressive demon literally living on the inside of an average rider manifested in a twinkle of an eye. This was over a negligible development. A car owner was reversing to enter the main road after buying his meal at the fast food outlet and who carefully managed to squeeze his car beside a packed dispatch bike. The probability of the reversing car ever hitting the packed bike was quite slim but before I knew it, the bike owner who earlier did not notice, suddenly turned and leveled aspersions on the car owner as he moved quickly to repark. Standing by, I couldn’t stomach those tantrums he yelled at the innocent driver, so I tried to caution and correct them. I had to do an emergent traffic warder functions as another car with the driver inside but unaware he was causing obstruction to the reversing car. Road cleared, yet bellicose and insulting words were still coming out of the ill mannered rider’s mouth, I drew closer, beckoning. His fellows were with him numbering up to 8 of them some sitting leisurely on top of their bikes while few stood eating something beside their motorcycles. My efforts to properly instruct them and advise them not to be aggressive to car owners on the roads was not just shunned but their voices. Their loud tumult stifled my lone tender voice and when I couldn’t prevail, I abandoned them to their brutal lifestyle, then off I zoomed.
Finally, Lagos state government may have had enough excuses to slam total ban on unregistered commercial bike operators (otherwise called okada) but as far as the biting economic reality in our nation is anything worth factoring, it is not absolutely expedient. The recorded incidences of the rogue riders involving in mob action whereby they converge like ravenous vultures on an accident site comprising a car and one of their own – bike, and without finding out exactly what transpired, descends on the car driver. Sometimes it leads to outright death, mutilating of the car or beating the driver to pulp or all of them meted out. Upon this uncivilized and riotous event and its predictable occurrence in Abuja our nation’s capital, I entreat the relevant security authorities particularly the police force to rise to the occasion ahead of the time. It should not be a terminatory or capital approach to be adopted but such as correctional and awareness creation as the riders too have right to carry on their business activities unhindered.
Orajiaku, an investigative journalist and security strategist, writes from Lagos via
08035530832.
