Date: 2019-11-24

Omu-Aran Security Stakeholders Committee, Omu-Aran, Kwara, has warned commercial motorcyclists in the area to desist from flagrant disobedience to traffic rules and regulations and other improper conduct in their operations.

The committee, headed by the traditional ruler of Omu-Aran and the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, gave the warning during a security meeting in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government, on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting held at the palace of the Olomu was called to discuss the incessant traffic crashes and its attendant casualties involving the commercial motorcycle operators.

The monarch, while expressing the displeasure of the committee and the Olomu-in-Council over the development, warned the motorcyclists to retrace their steps and changed their attitude positively.

"We have had series of meetings bordering on the same issue of gross misconduct, lawlessness leading to unwarranted accident, thereby endangering the lives of residents.

"Some of you have formed the habit of deforming your motorcycle parts to suit your own interests at the detriment of laid down regulations.

"Some of you have even turn to accomplish, aiding and abetting crimes.

"All this act of lawlessness, disobedience and gross misconduct must stop forthwith," he warned.

Mr Festus Adetunji, the FRSC Omu-Aran Unit Commander, in his remarks, said the acts of lawlessness among commercial motorcyclists in the area had become a source of concern to the command.

He expressed the command's readiness to ensure full compliance with laid down rules and regulations by the commercial motorcyclists.

"This flagrant disobedience have become worrisome in spite of the series of re-orientation through seminars and campaigns organised for the operators.

"I want to assure the monarch that it's not going to be business as usual, we are now fully ready to step up our enforcement on particulars, crash elements, among others," he said.

Mr John Alesagba, the Divisional Police Officer, Omu-Aran Command, in his contribution, advised the operators to abide by the rules or face the consequences.

"We have had enough of your misconduct, this command will not fold its arms watching the lives of the people being put at risk due to your excesses," he said.

Also speaking, Mr Jimoh Buoye, the Chairman of the Orisun Commercial Motorcycle Express Riders Association, Omu-Aran branch, claimed that the introduction of two other unions was the genesis of the act of indiscipline among the operators.

Buoye accused the leadership of the two other unions – the National Union of Road Transport Workers and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) – of encouraging indecent acts among the operators.

"What we had initially was Orisun commercial association but later because of personal interest of some members, two other unions were introduced, and it became problematic to discipline erring members.

"There are instances whereby members facing disciplinary actions would dump their union and relocate to a more accommodating union in order to evade penalty.

"This development became problematic for our Task Force and Enforcement Committee to handle, thus the indecent acts continued unabated," he said.

NAN reports the allegations were not disputed by the leadership of the two other unions.