Again, govt reads riot act to Okada operators in Abuja city

For the umpteenth time, the FCT Administration has warned operators of commercial motorcycles otherwise known as Okada, operating in restricted areas of the Federal Capital City of Abuja, to stop forthwith or face the full wrath of the law.

The FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, gave the warning in his office while meeting with some Senior officials of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) led by the Director, Dr. Abdul-Lateef Bello, recently.

Adesola said the law banning the operations of commercial motorcycles within the Abuja metropolis is still in place and will be enforced to the letter.

He advised commercial motorcycles against violating the law, warning that all those found disobeying the ban will be made to face dire consequences.

According to a statement issued by the Director, in charge of FCT Information and Communication, Muhammad Hazat Sule, all commercial motorcyclists arrested will have their motorcycles impounded and crushed to serve as a deterrent because the law must take its course.

It added that the Permanent Secretary, also directed the Task Force to step -up its game and go into the nook and crannies of the Federal Capital City, particularly where the government had earlier restricted the operations of Okadas to enforce the ban.

Adesola instructed the Task Force and officials of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (popularly known as VIO) to go all out and rid the city of the menace; adding that there should be no sacred cow.

He reiterated that Abuja is a creation of the law and remains the face of the country, thus, no effort will be spared at maintaining the aesthetic and serenity of the capital city.

The Permanent Secretary further advised the commercial motorcyclists to, in their interest, leave the city center and go to areas not restricted for their operations such as the Satellite Towns and the Area Councils.

He reiterated that any commercial motorcyclist arrested will have the motorcycle immediately crushed in consonance with the extant rules.

The internal squabbling among the National Executive arm of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, (SOKAPU), seems to have blown into a full crisis, which has crippled the once vibrant group, known for defending the interest of Southern Kaduna.

According to sources, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of SOKAPU met in Kaduna on the 13th May, 2023 and suspended the entire National exco of the Union, after the President of the Union, Mr. Dio Awemi Maisamari, made an opening remark in Kaduna in which he indicted himself of failure to lead SOKAPU and tendered his resignation.

This prompted the NEC to suspend the entire exco. An investigation committee was formed. Also, a caretaker committee was inaugurated to run the Union for three months.

But, the suspended exco, which may be heading to court if the matter is not resolved, according to a source, have strongly challenged its suspension.

In a letter of protest written to the Chairman, Board of Trustee (BoT) of SOKAPU, elder Stephen Bangoji, the aggrieved members wrote that their suspension did not follow due process and as such they were seeking for the intervention of the BoT.

A copy of the letter obtained by DailyNewsPrecise is titled: “Request for Urgent Intervention on The Purported Suspension of the CEC By NEC.” The letter stated with an opening: “The Central Executive Committee (CEC) has been embroiled in leadership crisis, which has pitched the President of SOKAPU, Mr. Awemi Dio Maisamari, the General Secretary, Mr Stephen Mallan on one side and 13 other members of the exco.”

“This development has been previously conveyed to you in which you tried to intervene but to no avail,” the letter went on.

“Some of the areas in which we have had major disagreements with the two are: “Subsuming SOKAPU under one Southern Kaduna Leadership Council (SKLC), which is an aberration of the norm. SOKAPU cannot be under any southern Kaduna group, without amending the constitution of our great union.

“The President is more loyal to the Community Development Associations’ (CDA) forum and CONEACDA in which he has remained the President of Adara Development Association (ADA) and the Vice President of CONEACDA.

“He has also refused to abide by agreed resolutions during exco meetings. He is also fond