By Punch Editorial Board,
MOTORCYCLES are essential tools of mobility in countries where they are permitted. In Nigeria, motorcycles, popularly known as okada, serve various purposes in the movement of people and goods, including across difficult terrain. They remain invaluable in areas inaccessible to conventional vehicles.
However, since their widespread introduction for commercial use in the 1990s, motorcycles have produced mixed outcomes. While they continue to serve important utilitarian purposes, they have also inflicted enormous harm on users and society.
Many have been involved in road traffic accidents, with the fatality rate as high as 68 per cent, according to a study conducted between 2019 and 2025.
Even more troubling is the fact that motorcycles have become the preferred equipment for bandit operations in Nigeria, especially in the North-West and North-Central regions.
During the last Sallah, bandits deployed about 150 motorcycles in twin attacks on Dan Gubi in Tureta LGA of Sokoto State, carrying multiple passengers. They slaughtered 17 residents in the first attack and 20 others in the second, which occurred early in the morning. They looted about 20 shops and escaped in the same manner.
It is baffling that some state governments in the affected regions have either failed to ban or have even lifted restrictions on motorcycles, despite overwhelming evidence that these machines have been weaponised against citizens.
When banditry intensified under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Army banned the use of motorcycles in seven North-West states—Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger. That was in 2019.
Therefore, as a matter of urgency, states must reinstate restrictions, especially on the mass movement of motorcycles.
Other countries facing insurgencies have demonstrated the effectiveness of such measures. In Mali, restrictions on motorcycle movements in conflict-prone areas significantly disrupted terrorist logistics and aided security operations that led to the arrest and neutralisation of several extremist leaders.
Insurgencies thrive on mobility, and denying criminals easy movement can yield major security gains.
As Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai sought to contain this threat to public safety by restricting bikes from operating on specified routes in Abuja.
Similarly, under his governorship in Lagos, Babatunde Fashola restricted okada operations on highways and bridges, although his successor, Akinwunmi Ambode, later relaxed aspects of the policy.
The repeated use of motorcycles for the mass movement of terrorists and kidnappers has become a grave cause for concern. Videos abound online showing insurgents moving in large numbers on motorcycles through areas primed for attacks.
A few days after bandits kidnapped 46 schoolchildren and teachers in Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire LGA of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde banned motorcycle movements there from 10:30 pm to 5:30 am. While commendable, this measure is not comprehensive enough.
On Saturday, the Kogi State Government similarly banned commercial motorcycle operations in the Bunnu District, citing their use for criminal activities.
Katsina has also banned motorcycles in two of its LGAs, citing security concerns.
The ease with which motorcycles can be procured and deployed across difficult terrain, even while carrying a rider and two or three others, has made them the transport of choice for outlaws. Hoodlums also use these bikes to rob motorists and pedestrians.
In Nigeria, large convoys of motorcycles are often ominous signals of impending criminal onslaughts.
The movement of such large, unverified convoys poses a major security risk and should be addressed decisively. States and local governments should build roads in remote communities to improve access for safer modes of transportation.
While it may be argued that commercial motorcycle operations provide livelihoods for many people in these difficult economic times, the overriding imperative must be to curtail their deployment for banditry and terrorism.
Security agencies should aggressively intercept suspicious motorcycle convoys using technology, intelligence and surveillance tools. Where there is reasonable suspicion regarding their motive and destination, riders should be arrested and their motorcycles confiscated in accordance with the law.
The responsibilities of transport unions should extend beyond the daily collection of dues to the strict monitoring and regulation of their members.
Neighbourhoods, too, must take security seriously in the face of rising criminality and ensure that motorcycle riders wear tagged aprons and proper safety gear at all times in areas where they are permitted to operate.
This article originally appeared in PUNCH.
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