Barely one month after the Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon. Cassidy Ikegbidi, put a limit to the operation of motor cyclists in the area, tricycles, have sprung up to commence business as soon as it was 7 pm.

Investigations by our correspondent who went round the area from the hours of 7.00pm and beyond observed that the tricycles were ncreasing by the day.

The tricycles popularly known as “Keke Napep” which were hitherto alien to the area as a means of transport were increasing by the day.

One of the operators, Mr. John Chimele, who spoke to our correspondent said when he heard of the limiting order, he decided to move from Port Harcourt to Ahoada his country home.

According to him, there was a lot of competition from the axis he operated in Port Harcourt hence the need to rellocate.

Asked why they would want to operate only in the evenings when the Okada people have left, another Keke Napep  operator, Mr. Kingsley James, said it was out of sympathy and understanding and not out of fear for the Okada people as it was believed in some places.

However, he said some of his colleagues operated from morning till night even as he said the Keke Napep has the advantage of shelter that the Okada doesn’t have.

He said most people especially women with children would not want to be soaked by rain or beaten by the sun.

Asked of the likelihood of a violent rivalry between the  operators in the future, one Okada rider who asked not to be named said it could not be ruled out.

He said most times the Keke Napep boys display a kind of superiority over them which has sometimes led to exchange of bitter words between them.

Our correspondent reports that sometimes Okada men would stand on the part of Keke Napep even at the disapproval of members of the public to such attitude.

It could be recalled that The Tide reported last month that Okada riders were given a limited time of 7,00pm by the AELGA boss.