by Rachel Ogbu

Reacting to Saturday’s attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, the Kano State government has banned commercial motorcyclists from operating in the state.

The ban takes effect from Thursday and it prohibits carrying any form of passenger on the motorcycles popularly known as Achaba.

Deputy Governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, who announced the ban in a broadcast in Kano, said the measure became imperative considering the current situation in the state.

It follows a security report, which indicated that a greater percentage of attacks in the state were coordinated and perpetrated by motorcyclists.

“The action became imperative so as to ensure that all commercial activities of motorcyclists in the state were registered in their local councils as part of government’s measures to ensure security in the state,” Ganduje said.

However, not everyone is happy with the news, the National President of Amalgamated Commercial Owners/Riders’ Association of Nigeria, Muhammad Sani Hassan, described the ban as “unpleasant and highly devastating.”

About 1.5 million of commercial motorcycle riders would be rendered jobless. Their fear, according to him, is what the people would do for a living now.

Hassan reminded the government of a pledge it made in the last six months that it would render assistance to the association, providing it with 200 cabs for its members. He complained that the government only released 20 cars to them since that time.