Stakeholders in the transport sector have identified activities of unlicenced motorcycle operators as one of the major causes of road traffic crashes in the North East.
The stakeholders made the observation while responding to a survey by the our correspondent on the menace of unlicenced motorcycles operating in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa and Yobe States.
To address the menace, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Gombe State, has warned motorcyclists to desist from illegal use of plate numbers.
FRSC’s Sector Commander, Mr Ishaku Ibrahim, said the measure was imperative to check spate of road carnages caused by unregistered motorcycles.
He said that the Corps recorded increase in the number of road accidents linked to motorcyclists plying highway, inter and intra-city roads in the state.
He said the Corps discovered that many motorcyclists had been duplicating registered plate numbers on unlicenced motorcycles in the state.
Ibrahim said the Corps in collaboration with the state government had embarked on enforcement with registration and licensing by motorcyclists.
“It is wrong, illegal, an offence and defaulters would be made to do the right thing for the general safety of the motoring public in Gombe State.
“Efforts are being intensified to ensure that unlicenced motorcycles keep off Nigerian roads for the general good of everyone.” he said.
According to him, licensing and registration of motorcycles help to equip motorcyclists with some level of knowledge to promote safety on the road.
He urged motorcycle riders to register to get their licenses to protect lives and property of citizens, saying that “registration is very easy.”
However, the FRSC in Bauchi, said the Corps was not responsible for motorcycles’ registration, a trend which led to gross violation of traffic rules by commercial motorcyclists.
The Sector Commander, Mr Yusuf Abdullahi, said that registration and licensing of motorcycles were under the purview of the state government.
“Registration is solely the responsibility of the state government as a means of tax collection on vehicles.
“Every vehicle must be properly registered in accordance with the National Road Traffic Regulation.
“This gave birth to the State Traffic Agencies while the FRSC’s responsibility is enforcement,” he said.
He said that production of number plates was also the responsibility of the Corps, adding that it adopted proactive measures to ease registration processes.
In Yobe, the FRSC also warned against operating unlicenced motorcycles and tricycles across the state.
Mr UB Amaechi, Deputy Corps Commander, said it was illegal to use unlicenced vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles in the state.
He said the Corps was conducting routine patrols, impound and book offenders for appropriate punishment.
He advised motorcyclists to obtain licences for their bikes to avoid facing wrath of the law.
To promote safety on the road, some residents of Dutse in Jigawa have urged the FRSC and other relevant government agencies to enforce compliance with vehicle and motorcycle registration.
Adamu Muhammad, a resident, said that most of the commercial motorcyclists were not qualified to ply the road.
He said the measure was imperative to promote road safety and reduce carnages.
Another resident, Danjuma Atiku, blamed unlicenced motorcycles for reckless driving and violations of traffic rules which resulted to road crashes in the state.
For Sunusi Ibrahim, FRSC’s Sector Commander in Borno, awareness creation activities were critical to mobilise riders to obtain licences for their motorcycles.
He said that such campaign through stakeholders’ engagement would encourage use of registered motorcycles and promote safety on the road especially in southern part of the state.