It is illegal, arresting private motorcycle rider with passenger, CSO tells KAROTA

A civil society organisation ‘War Against Injustice’ has appealed to Kano State Government and the State House of Assembly to caution the state Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA) to desist from harassing and threatening private motorcycle riders carrying a passenger with arrest as this is illegal.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Executive Director of the Organisation, Comrade  Umar Ibrahim Umar and sent to Solacebase on Thursday.

The organization expressed disgust in the action of KAROTA whereby private motorcycle riders with the passenger are mostly arrested under the guise of violating the law that banned motorcycle riders from carrying a passenger.

Solacebase reports that Kano State first introduced the law banning motorcycles from carrying passengers in January 2013 following a series of attacks by gunmen on motorbikes.

Read Also: JUST IN: Court stops KAROTA from enforcing stickers on tricycle riders

Also, the ban was reintroduced in September 2017 as part of measures against insecurity in the state.

Similarly, on June 18^th,2020, the Managing Director, Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA), Alhaji Baffa Babba Dan Agundi announced the ban at a news conference in the state.

‘’The law is very clear and straight forward. It banned commercial motorcycle operation whereby they pick passengers for commercial benefit, not a private motorcycle rider that carries his wife or son as the case may be, ‘’said the statement.

The CSO said arresting a private motorcycle rider with a passenger is illegal and unconstitutional as a court of law has decided that, citing the case of Sefullahi &2 others Vs KAROTA decided at a Kano High Court presided by Justice Nasiru Saminu that held that arresting two persons on one motorcycle for private use is null and void.

The civil rights group noted that urgent attention should be accorded the plea so as for people not to take laws into their hands when they cannot get justice.