Commercial motorcycles operators in Kwara state under the aegis of Joint Okada Riders Association of Kwara state on Sunday said they had agreed to abide by government's decision to bar them from operating on business routes in Ilorin metropolis.

They also agreed to prune the number of existing associations from 65 unions to seven within the next two weeks as well to operate with one uniform carrying security features.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Government House yesterday, the association's assistant secretary, Muritala Yusuf, dissociated members from the protest that trailed the decision at the weekend.

"We dissociate ourselves from those who demonstrated yesterday, they are not our members, they are operating without unions, they have no aprons; if we can identify any of them we will help the security agents to fish them out.

"We welcome the idea to reduce the number of unions to only seven; we agree to abide by the rules and regulations stated by the Kwara state government," he said.

Special Adviser to the governor on Transport and Utility, Alhai Usman BIbere Ajape, and his counterpart on Labour, Comrade Bisi Fakayode, said government had procured 250 tricycles to be distributed to them at interest free rate to replace the okada in the routes where their operations were restricted.

They said the government decision was necessary in view of the rate of crimes being perpetrated by people believed commercial motorcycles even as he said they were allowed to be on the business routes till September 4, 2012.