Oyo would prohibit "Okada" riders from using the roads if they do not have QR Code jackets.

 

Any commercial motorcyclist, also known as an Okada, who runs a motorcycle without the state-approved QR code-embedded jacket faces prohibition and prosecution, according to the Oyo State Government.





This was announced in Ibadan by Adekoya Adesagba, the chairman of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA). He advised locals to only employ Okada services run by riders donning official jackets, which include QR tags for simple identification.

Adesagba claims that the raid comes after an increase in illegal activity involving unregistered riders. "Locals on the UI-Agbowo axis reported suspicious riders without QR jackets, and a kidnapping attempt was recently foiled," he disclosed.


Other cases include a passenger being robbed by a phony Okada rider in the Challenge area and armed bandits on an unmarked motorcycle stealing a trader's earnings at Bodija Market.

Residents are urged by OYRTMA to only support Okada riders wearing these official jackets. Real-time rider authentication, crime prevention, emergency tracking, and heightened passenger trust are among the advantages, according to Adesagba.


He threatened to keep conducting daily raids, seizing noncompliant motorcycles and fining or prosecuting riders. He continued by saying, "The government guarantees that this policy is for the safety of all residents and that defaulters will not be allowed to operate on state roads."

Through Adebayo Akande, Senior Special Assistant on ICT and E-Government, the Office of the Governor also supported the enforcement directive.



Okada and tricycle operators must register under the Oyo State Residents’ Registration Scheme, according the policy, which went into effect in November 2023. Adesagba pointed out that despite the first free jacket distribution, compliance has remained poor. "Criminals have become more confident as a result, and Okada-related crimes have increased," he said.


To guarantee complete compliance, the state said it will step up its enforcement and public awareness efforts.