Kaduna residents warn against motorcycle ban, hint on implications

Kaduna residents have expressed concern over the Federal Government’s proposal to ban motorcycles across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had on Tuesday, told State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting, in Abuja, that the government was considering a ban on motorcycles in order to curb crime.

But residents of Kaduna State, on Tuesday, said the ban would push many youths into crime.

According to Alhaji Musa Yakodo, Chairman Kaduna Motorcycles Riders Association, about 70 percent unemployed youths are into motorcycle riding to survive.

He added that “they feed, marry with the little saving from riding motorcycles. Some of them feed their parents, pay hospital bills, pay school fees for their younger ones.”

Secretary of the Association, Mose Musa Yaro believed the Federal Government was joking with the lives of several unemployed youths in the country.

According to him, “unemployed graduates ride motorcycles to feed themselves, cloth themselves.”

He suggested that if the Federal Government insisted on banning motorcycles, it should first provide means of livelihood to the unemployed.

Mr. Samuel Oyifie, a mechanical engineer graduate of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, said “with this, (pointing at his motorcycle), I started a degree program in ABU, I sponsored myself with the bike, and now that I am yet to get work, I use it to feed myself. If the ban come to full force, what next? It means, I have to remain idle.”

He said banning motorcycles cannot stop bandits from attacking innocent people.