Banditry: Buhari mulls nationwide ban on motorcycles, says Malami

President Muhammadu Buhari, is considering the possibility of imposing a nationwide ban on the sale and use of motorcycles to curb activities of bandits and terrorists, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has said.

According to the AGF, the consideration of the wholesale ban was forced by the raging insecurity that has shown no signs of subsiding despite concerted efforts of security agencies.

“The government would look into that possibility with particular regard to restriction on use and distribution of motorcycles which is the most conventional logistical means being deployed by terrorists,” Malami said at the State House shortly after a meeting of the national security council on Thursday afternoon.

Malami said the determination did not come easy for the administration, warning that Nigerians are likely to bear harsh economic implications of the move.

The attorney general said federal authorities have been able to find a connection between motorcycles, mining operations and insecurity across the country. He, however, failed to clarify why the measure was being considered nationwide.

Commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada, are widely used across Nigeria for both rural and urban transportation due to low operating costs, speed and manoeuverability in heavy traffic and difficult terrain, same properties that make it attractive to bandits, terrorists, robbers and other criminals.