The Niger State Government has banned the sale of motorcycles.

The Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, who announced this in a statement on Saturday said the decision followed the incessant security challenges in some parts of the State and the demands of motorcycles as ransom by bandits and kidnappers.

“The State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has directed the immediate ban on the sales of motorcycles across the State,” the statement read in part.

Matane said the category of motorcycles affected by the ban includes any motorcycles (Bajaj, Boxer, Qiujeng, Honda ACE, Jingchen, etc) with engine capacity from 185 Cubic Centimetres ( cc).

The SSG further explained that the state government rolled out this additional measure, which is aimed at reducing the activities of criminals in the State.

He stated that the government had condemned the degree of carnage and pandemonium bandits and kidnappers were causing to some parts of the state and reiterated its continued determination to rid the state of any security threat.

According to the SSG, “Government is aware of the inconveniences the measure would cause the people, but the decision was taken in the overall interest of the state and appealed to the dealers of motorcycles across the state to cooperate with the directive.”

Matane appealed to the people of the state to cooperate with the security agencies on the security measures being put in place to put an end to the activities of some criminal elements, as it is for the benefit of all and sundry.

The SSG disclosed that the government had also ordered security agencies in the state to ensure effective and strict compliance/enforcement of this directive.

In the same vein, the SSG has reaffirmed that the activities of commercial motorcycle riders popularly known as Okada or Kabu-kabu and operation of illegal garages remained banned in Minna metropolis and environs.

The state government had earlier restricted the movements of all motorcycles from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am and the restriction order is still enforced.