The Oyo State Government has announced it will bar and prosecute any commercial motorcycle operator—popularly called Okada—who operates without the state’s approved QR code-embedded jacket.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), Adekoya Adesagba, made this known in Ibadan. He urged residents to use only Okada services operated by riders wearing the official jackets, which come with QR codes for easy verification.
According to Adesagba, the crackdown follows a rise in criminal activities involving unregistered riders. “A kidnapping attempt was recently foiled after locals reported suspicious riders without QR jackets on the UI-Agbowo axis,” he revealed.
Other incidents include armed robbers on an unmarked motorcycle snatching a trader’s earnings at Bodija Market, and a passenger being robbed by a fake Okada rider in the Challenge area.
“OYRTMA urges residents to patronize only Okada riders with these official jackets. The benefits include real-time rider verification, crime prevention, emergency tracking, and increased passenger trust,” Adesagba said.
He warned that daily raids would continue, with non-compliant motorcycles impounded and riders facing fines or prosecution. “The government assures this policy is for the safety of all residents, and defaulters will be barred from operating on state roads,” he added.
The enforcement directive was also backed by the Office of the Governor through the Senior Special Assistant on ICT and E-Governance, Adebayo Akande.
The policy, which started in November 2023, requires Okada and tricycle operators to register under the Oyo State Residents’ Registration Scheme. Despite initial provisions of free jackets, Adesagba noted compliance has remained low. “This has emboldened criminals and led to increased Okada-related crimes,” he said.
The state says it will intensify both enforcement and public awareness campaigns to ensure full compliance.
