Defaulting okada riders to pay N50,000 in Abia crackdown
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Commercial motorcycle riders who violate the Abia State Government’s ban on operations in designated areas of Umuahia, Aba, and Ohafia will pay a N50,000 fine or risk forfeiting their motorcycles, the government said on Tuesday.
The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu said the full enforcement of the restriction on commercial motorcycle operations commenced on Monday, June 22, as part of efforts to strengthen security, improve revenue generation, and restore order in major urban centres.
He explained that motorcycles found operating in prohibited areas would be impounded immediately by the Abia State Harmonised Task Force in collaboration with security agencies.
According to him, affected riders will be required to pay a N50,000 penalty within 30 days to reclaim their motorcycles.
“Any motorcycle impounded for violating the directive and not claimed within 30 days after payment of the stipulated fine will be forfeited,” he said.
Kanu added that all motorcycles operating on roads in the state, including commercial, private, courier, and delivery motorcycles, must be captured under the government’s expanded enumeration and registration exercise, which began about 18 months ago.
To aid identification, he said the government would issue colour-coded reflective jackets and vests bearing unique local government area identification numbers across the three senatorial zones.
He noted that courier and delivery riders would be required to wear approved vests, which would be available within one week, while registered motorcycles would not be permitted to carry passengers.
The commissioner also announced that the state civil service recruitment portal would open on Tuesday for the employment of additional medical officers and consultants in state-owned health facilities.
He further disclosed that a technology-driven Citizens’ Engagement Centre had been completed and was ready for commissioning by the governor.
According to him, the centre will provide residents with channels to submit complaints, enquiries, and feedback through telephone, email, and WhatsApp for prompt attention by relevant ministries, departments, and agencies.
Kanu said the state government, in partnership with MTN Nigeria, was also working towards achieving 90 per cent voice and data coverage across Abia within the next eight to 10 weeks.
He added that the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy would host the Canvas: Culture and Arts Festival 2026 on June 25 at the Michael Okpara Auditorium.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, retired Navy Commander MacDonald Uba, said the motorcycle restriction was informed by security concerns, noting that criminal elements had increasingly used commercial motorcycles to perpetrate crimes within Abia and neighbouring states.
“This is an overriding public interest decision. The governor is being pragmatic in balancing the economic well-being of citizens with their safety and security,” Uba said.
He noted that similar restrictions were already in force in neighbouring states and warned that Abia would not become a destination for motorcycles displaced from those areas.
While acknowledging the economic implications of the policy, Uba said the government was considering alternative transportation options to cushion its impact on affected riders.
He added that a comprehensive list of restricted areas would be made public through the media and transport unions, while a steering committee and task force would continue engaging stakeholders to address emerging concerns.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, was also present at the briefing.
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with 17 years of professional experience. He has served as a correspondent covering Abia State since 2015 and focuses on governance, human rights, justice, and equity. Ogbonnaya’s work reflects strong organizational skills, editorial discipline, and a commitment to objective and responsible journalism.
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