Tricycle operators protest against ban in Lagos

Tricycle operators from Lagos Mainland, Yaba and Oyingbo on Monday staged a peaceful protest at Maryland against the ban on their operations in some parts of the state by the Lagos State Government.

The tricycle operators, commonly referred to as “Keke Maruwa”, urged the government to rescind its ban on commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators in 15 local government and council development areas which began on Feb. 1.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the hundreds of protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Create Jobs, Don’t Take Jobs”, “Sanwo-Olu, My Job is My Life” and Maruwa Operators are not Criminals”.

Mr Seun Adeleke, Chairman, National Union of Tricycle Operators, Yaba/Mainland told NAN that the government’s decision was unfair as it would plunge many able-bodied young men into unemployment.
He said: “We are the ones that voted for this government and we need government to support us.
“Look at everybody here now, they want to work. In Yaba/Mainland, we have over 500 tricycle operators and we pay N200 daily to the council.
“So we contribute to the economy and we want to continue to do that. Government should please look into this decision.”

Also, a civil rights activist, Mr Wale Balogun, who mobilised the protest, said commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators were not responsible for the security challenges in Lagos.

(Credit: NAN)