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Hausa community seeks reversal of Okada ban, promises Sanwo-Olu massive votes
Some leaders of the Hausa community in Lagos State have appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reverse the ban on Okada operations in six local government areas of the state.
The leaders, who spoke in separate interviews on Wednesday, said Okada riders who hail from northern Nigeria contribute significantly to the voting population of Lagos and should not be economically strangulated.
Sanwo-Olu had on Wednesday banned the operations of commercial motorcycle riders in six Local Governments and nine Local Government Development Areas in the state.
The affected councils are Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland and Apapa.
The governor said, “We will not sit back and watch criminally-minded people use that mode of transportation (motorcycles) to perpetrate crimes and criminality in Lagos. Lives are being lost on a daily basis, preventable accidents are happening every day and the riders are not respecting any of our traffic laws.
“The situation has led to a complete breakdown of law and order. This ban has come to stay and we will not tolerate any weakness in enforcement.”
But the Seriki of Obalende, Saliu Waziri, said that the government should rethink its decision.
Waziri said the government should instead get the data of Okada riders in Lagos to fish out any intruder or criminally-minded fellows.
He said, “This issue has taken us a long time and we have been trying to put our members on the line. I want to advise the government to rethink its decision because Lagos can’t operate without bikes because of traffic. Government should register Okada riders in each local government to know those working in any local government. By so doing, the government would know who to pick when any issue arises.
“Some of our members stay here in Lagos and vote during elections. That should count for something because we contribute to votes during elections. The government should change the system of Okada riders not stopping them.”
Waziri, however, ruled out the possibility of taking any legal action against the state government.
The Seriki Hausa of Ajah, Ibrahim Ngoma, agreed with his Obalende counterpart that the government should consider the voting population of Hausa Okada riders in Lagos.
“Truth be told, Governor Sanwo-Olu has been understanding with Okada people unlike Governor (Babatunde) Fashola. Okada members should obey the law while I appeal to Governor Sanwo-Olu to look into the matter and lift the ban before the election because the ban is affecting my people,” he said.
Also, another leader of the Hausa community in Lagos, Iliyasu Kira, in a telephone interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday, pleaded with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to reverse the ban.
According to the Seriki Hausa in Shasha in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, the voting population of the Hausa Okada riders in Lagos is not something the government want to joke with.
He said, “I appeal to the government to leave Okada riders to continue their operations. These Okada riders help the government during elections with votes. Our voting population in Lagos constitutes over 2.7 million because most of us vote here in Lagos. We are not all bad people.
“Many of our people are Okada riders in Lagos. If the government claims that robbers are rampant among Okada riders, then the government should sieve out the criminals. The government should provide replacement for our members affected by the ban.
“We don’t have the power to start any legal case with the government. This is why I am appealing with the government to reconsider the ban.”
An aide to the Sarkin Hausawa of Agege, Abdullahi Salihu, in a chat said the Hausa community in the state will not challenge the government’s ban.
“The Chieftaincy Council of Hausa Community in Agege, under his Royal Highness, Alhaji Musa Muhammed Dogon Kadai, doesn’t challenge government laws. We believe that whenever government makes a law, it’s for the best of the general public. So, challenging the government’s law is like saying we don’t want the betterment of the state. We know that many of our people earn their daily income from the Okada business but that doesn’t mean that because of their own income we should jeopardise the security of lives and property in the state.”
Salihu said he also spoke with the Sarkin in three of the affected LGAs, saying they gave the same position as that of the Hausa leadership in Agege.
He said, “Majority of them are on the same page as we are here. They said our stand on the issue is also their stand, so that’s the resolution we have reached. We are urging every member of the community to abide by the rules and laws of the state government. Anybody found wanting, we’ll not be reliable for the person’s act because the law is the law anywhere. We cannot get our people to protest or take action against the law of the state government. So, that is the resolution we all came about after I called them.”
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
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