Recently, the chairman of
Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon. Cassidy Ikegbidi ordered the commercial motorcycle operators to stop operating beyond 7.00pm.
The order which is not unconnected with kidnap and other criminal activities in Ahoada town and its environs tends to curtail the occurrence of such vices.
But a cross section of the operators, popularly called ‘okada’ said the order stopping them from operating beyond 7.00pm was unreasonable.
According to Uche Dike, Ahoada was a transit point to other far flung communities.
He said people take motorcycles from Ahoada to places like Ula-Ahoada, Odiemerenyi, Ikata, Ogbehe and even to communities in Abua.
Investigations by our correspondent showed that motor vehicle transport was not available to nearby communities from Ahoada, hence the need for commercial motorcycle.
For Innocent Chimele, an ‘okada’ rider, fingering them alone for the possible cause of criminality in Ahoada was laughable.
He said he has not heard where somebody was kidnapped with a motorcycle rather expensive cars were used in such operations.
However for Chief Ejike Jones from Ihuaba community in the Ahoada-East local government area, the action of the chairman was in order.
He said there were indications  that commercial  motorcyclists aide in perpetrating crimes even as he said it should not be misconstrued to mean that they were criminals.
“The issue should not be interpreted to say ‘okada’ riders are criminals but I reason with the chairman in stopping them from operating beyond 7.00pm.
“If that will help us then so be it even though I have not had the chance to speak with the chairman,” he said.
On the challenges the action would cause commuters in the area especially those who arrive Ahoada after 7.00pm, Chief Jones said such people should lodge in hotels.
He further opined that those who could not afford hotel accommodation may as well report at the police station for protection.
According to him, the action for now has no disadvantage.
Meanwhile efforts to speak with the council boss, Hon. Ikegbidi were not fruitful but a close source which confirmed the order said no time frame was fixed for the order.
Our correspondent recalls that two weeks ago, commuters were taken unawares when they got to Ahoada after 7.00pm only to come to the reality of the order.