Ondo govt engages stakeholders to enforce adherence to security measures

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State government held a meeting with leaders of commercial motorcycle operators on Friday to strengthen compliance with the ban on night-time operations and the prohibition of face coverings while riding.

The session brought together heads of various motorcycle unions across the state to discuss strategies aimed at boosting security and supporting personnel of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun across all 18 local government areas.

Western Post gathered that the restrictions are part of wider efforts to curb crimes often carried out under darkness by individuals concealing their Identities on motorcycles.

In his remark, the Commander of Amotekun in Ondo State, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, explained that the state government’s ban on night-time Okada operations follows a series of detailed intelligence reports which revealed that several criminal activities were being carried out at night using motorcycles, making it difficult for security operatives to distinguish between genuine riders and criminal elements.

Adeleye noted that the cooperation of motorcycle unions was vital to the success of the initiative while also disclosing that the Amotekun Corp would begin a fresh registration exercise for all genuine Okada riders next week Monday.

He also announced a ban on riders covering their faces with hoods and reaffirmed that sanctions will be melted out to those who operate without proper registration.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties and Strategies, Hon. Gani Mohammed, stressed the government’s determination to eliminate criminal activities and urged residents to support the initiative.

In the same vein, Hon. Tomide Akinribido, the cairman of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service and State IT Agency, urged riders to comply with registration, warning that unregistered operators would not be allowed to ride in the state.