Concerned by the prevailing security challenge in the transport sector, the State Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Gbenga Dairo has said that the ongoing registration of commercial motorcycle riders and taxi operators by the security operatives in collaboration with transport unions in the State will be precondition for operating in the State.

 The registration exercise was a follow up to the stakeholder’s security meeting held in May,2021, and is being conducted by an independent consultancy firm; Commercial Motorcycles Riders Identification Scheme (COMORIS), employed by the unions to capture the data of commercial motorcycle riders, taxi operators, motorcycle owners, next of kin, motorcycles and production of numbered reflective jackets with some security inputs on it.

           Engr. Dairo made this known during a periodic stakeholders’ security meeting in Abeokuta with the security agencies which include Nigeria Police, Directorate of Security Services, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Roads Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, and other relevant bodies.

He said the move become necessary to curb nefarious activities been perpetrated by some unscrupulous people with the use of motorcycle and taxi, as well as get accurate data of motorcycle riders and taxi operators in the State, charging all the transport unions to mobilise their members for the exercise.

"As a responsible and responsive government that is primarily concerned with security of lives and property, we align with the arrangement of the security operatives and motorcycle transport unions to register all commercial motorcycle riders and taxi operators in the State", the Commissioner said.

On his part, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Ajogun  emphasised that the registration is sacrosanct and have the support of all security operatives, adding that it would assist in quick identification of real riders, genuine number plates, aid crime prevention and detection in the State, enjoining all various commands and units to support the compliance process.

He maintained that fake number plates have been traced to be commonly used to commit crimes and criminality, urging motorcycle unions to fast-track the registration process to avoid infiltration of their ranks by fake riders.

“In no longer distance, a total joint enforcement will commence where driver’s license, riders license, riders permit, hackney permit, evidence of number plates registration and other relevant instruments of operation in the transport sector will be demanded for, all in efforts at discovering fake or unregistered motorcycle taxi operators, fake number plates and others, Ajogun stated.

In his remark, the State Chairman of Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners, Repair and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), Comrade Kayode Sowunmi, assured of their  readiness to supporting government’s initiative and collaborate with security operatives at ridding the State off crimes and criminality, saying the process would be accelerated with necessary support at ensuring the present administration succeeds in the transport sector.