The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed December 15, 2020, to hear a suit praying for the reversal of the ban placed by the Lagos State Government on the operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in parts of the state.

A Lagos-based lawyer, Julius Ajibulu, who filed the suit before Justice Chuka Obiozor, explained that the ban on transport vehicles, without a replacement with an alternative means of transportation for them had subjected Lagosians to unspeakable hardship and denied the transporters their means of livelihood.

Ajibulu also claimed that the ban had led to “massive unemployment” and an escalation in the rate of crime and insecurity in Lagos State due to the loss of jobs and added that the ban violated his fundamental rights and those of other Lagosians under sections 33, 34, 36, 38, 41, and 42 of the 1999 Constitution.

The lawyer prayed the court to order “the immediate resumption of commercial operations and activities of tricycles (Keke NAPEP/ Marwa) and motorcycles (okada) of 50cc-200cc capacity engine on the above-stated highways and expressways through the aforesaid bridges in the above 15 local government and local development council areas of Lagos State.”

Ajibulu who is also seeking damages in the sum of N1bn and a public apology in newspapers, has this lawsuit as the second against the Lagos State Government over the ban on okada and Keke Marwa.

Another lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, is also praying the Federal High Court, reverse the ban.

In another suit before Justice Mohammed Liman, Ogungbeje is seeking a declaration that “the forceful impounding, seizure or confiscation of motorcycles and tricycles” by agents of the Lagos State Government amounted to a breach on the rights of residents to own property under sections 43 and 44 of the Constitution.”