AS part of security measures to stern the high level of criminality in Ethiope East Local Government area in particular and Delta State in general, the state government has placed a ban on the use of motorcycles popularly known as Okada in Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state.
The Secretary to the State Government, Comrade Ovouzuorie Macaulay, who briefed newsmen today after the State Security Council Meeting held at Government House Annex, Warri, said that the ban take immediate effect in Kokori town with a seven days grace before the ban would extended to the other towns and villages in Ethiope East Local Government Area.
Comrade Macaulay stated that the high level of crime and criminality in the area has taken a dangerous dimension, and the ban was one of the measures meant to stem the tide.
According to him, “Actually we are here in Warri today for the normal State Council Meeting but as you know we do rotate it from time to time depending on where the pressures are. For now security pressure is here in the Warri environment and one of the real outcome of today’s meeting is the fact that Security Council has decided to place a ban on Okada in Kokori town. Okada riding in Kokori is banned with immediate effect.”
“In other words, from this moment onwards, no Okada of whatever type commercially is allowed in Kokori. Seven days from now in every part of Ethiope East, Okada will not be allowed. In other words whether Kokori, Isiokolo, Okpara, Abraka, Eku, all kinds of Okada remain banned. But the other villages and towns have seven days grace from today being Wednesday. By Wednesday next week, Okada remain banned in the whole of Ethiope East. But with effect from this moment, Okada remain banned in Kokori Town.”
While emphasizing that it is one of the measures to stem the high level of criminality in that community which was the major highlight of today’s meeting, Comrade Macaulay added
“I did not say farming, I didn’t say trading but the use of Okada. I am talking of the use of Okada. It has been banned in Warri here, are market in Warri closed?. The market women are still going to market. So it has been banned in Ethiope East. Government has say before that the ban will be extended to other parts of the state that is what we are doing.”
