Residents fear ‘Lagos formula’ as Kaduna govt seizes 2,000 motorcycles

Since September 2021 when the Kaduna State Government joined other states in the North West to implement security measures that included a ban on the use of motorcycles, motorcyclists and residents who use the mode of transportation have borne the brunt of the government policy. Kaduna State Police Command and the state’s Traffic and Environmental […]

Since September 2021 when the Kaduna State Government joined other states in the North West to implement security measures that included a ban on the use of motorcycles, motorcyclists and residents who use the mode of transportation have borne the brunt of the government policy.

Kaduna State Police Command and the state’s Traffic and Environmental Law Enforcement Agency (KASTELEA), the government agencies saddled with the responsibility of enforcing the ban have since seized over 2,000 motorcycles. However, since the Lagos State Government destroyed seized motorcycles in an attempt to discourage their use in the city, some residents of Kaduna, whose motorcycles are still in the custody of government agencies have expressed fear that the state government could do the same.

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Shehu Lauje, a resident of Kaduna metropolis, told Daily Trust on Sunday that his Jincheng Motorcycle has been with KASTELEA for seven months. According to him, he has left everything to God because all efforts to get it released has failed. Lauje, who now rides a bicycle around town, said officials of KASTELEA said they will contact him but are yet to do so. 

Also, a commercial tricycle operator in Kaduna, who identified himself as Abubakar Ya’u, said his tricycle was confiscated by the taskforce five months ago. The state government had also banned the use of tricycles from 7pm to 6am. Ya’u, whose tricycle was seized for contravening the law explained that the tricycle was his only source of income and the seizure had made life difficult for him and his family.

He said after months of waiting without knowing when the tricycle would be released, he had bribed a security personnel to get it released. “To tell you the truth, it wasn’t easy for me because the tricycle business is my only source of income. One of the policemen in my community collected N30,000 from me to get the tricycle out. He could not get the tricycle released and when I demanded a refund, he threatened me. So, I had to pay another N45,000 to another individual to help me sneak out the tricycle form the police station,” he said. 

Boda dan Yarbawa had his motorcycle seized during the ban in December 2021. He said it took a month to get the motorcycle released after bribing his way. “I gave N10, 000 to get it released after almost a month and it was because I knew someone who intervened,” he said.

However, not everyone is lucky or can afford to bribe their way to secure the release of their properties as Shehu Lauje and many others who have their motorcycles still locked up with the police and KASTLEA, hoping to get them back one day. 

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that three laws were initiated at different times by the Kaduna State government to support the ban on the use of motorcycles, whether private or commercial in the state.

The Kaduna State Motorcycle Prohibition Law no 16, 2018 passed by the State House of Assembly states that “Any person who conveys a passenger on a motorcycle shall be deemed a commercial motorcyclist and shall be treated by the provisions of this Law.” 

The law also states that any person who contravenes the provisions of the law shall be guilty of an offense and shall be liable upon conviction to a fine of not less than N10,000.00 or not less than three months imprisonment or both. 

“The passenger shall on conviction be liable to a fine of not less than N5,000.00 or not less than one-month imprisonment or both,” the law states. It further states that should the owner fail to collect the motorcycle within six months, the courts will decide on what to do with the motorcycle. 

Over 2,000 motorcycles in custody, could generate revenue for state

Daily Trust on Sunday investigation revealed that there are at least 2,000 motorcycles with the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Agency (KASTLEA) while over 100 were in the custody of the police. On a fine of N10,000 for the release of each motorcycle, the Kaduna State government could generate over N20m from the seized items while also decongesting Police stations and KASTLEA offices where the motorcycles and tricycles were kept.  

KASTLEA Corp Marshal, Major Yahaya Rimi (Rtd), told Daily Trust on Sunday that from the Covid-19 enforcement alone, the agency had seized about 194 motorcycles adding that in total, the agency was in possession of about 2,001 motorbikes.

“The last law is the security containment order which was passed by the state government based on the advice of the security agencies for a total ban on the use of motorcycles in the state. Before then, all stakeholders were invited by government and a meeting was chaired by the Deputy Governor where the ban came into effect,” he said.

He said the Covid-19 containment Law had also banned motorcyclists from carrying passengers and stressed that the motorcyclist was also mandated to wear a facemask and other safety wears. He said those who refused to abide by the law had been arrested and arraigned before a court. He said some of them had violated the court order and the government had directed that anyone whose motorcycle was confiscated should be kept with the agency.

The Corps Marshall however said many people had flouted the law and the law had held them accountable. “Also, a Task Force committee was constituted and chaired by the Commissioner of Police with KASTLEA a member of that committee and our responsibility is to arrest the motorcycles and then keep them, then await further directives.”

On what they intend to do with the seized motorcycles, he said the matter was being discussed at the government level, adding that “the State council is also discussing the issue so whatever the council comes up with, we will go by it. If the council says we go by the Lagos directive, we will surely go by it but if the council say we should release to the motorcycle to the owners, we will release them.” 

Kaduna State Police Command was yet to respond to enquiry on the issue at the time of filing this report but a senior police office who is familiar with the operation confided in Daily Trust on Sunday that the command had sent a letter to the State Government seeking permission to fine the law breakers so that they can have their motorcycles released.

According to him, there are tricycles, popularly known as Keke NAPEP and motorcycles in the custody of the state command which cannot be released unless the state government gives the permission.

“We have them in numbers, from September 2021 to date. They are occupying a lot of space and we believe that when government gives us the mandate to release them to their owners, we will ask the owners to come with their motorcycles papers to prove ownership,” he said.