The Oyo State Government announced it will start enforcing “barcode jackets” for motorcycle Okada and tricycle commercial riders.
The chairman of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), Adesagba Adekoya, said this in a notice on Saturday, June 28.
He said the enforcement takes effect from Monday, June 30, 2025, and would bar all commercial motorcycle (Okada) and tricycle (Maruwa) operators from operating across the state.
According to Adekoya, the QR-coded jacket contains security features, including a unique barcode for identification and tracking purposes.
“It is mandatory for all commercial riders to wear it while operating on public roads.
“All Okada and Maruwa operators without a barcode jacket are directed to immediately proceed to the Oyo State Secretariat to register their vehicles and collect their jackets,” he stated.
Adekoya noted that the registration has been ongoing for the past three years, but that many riders have failed to comply.
“No excuses will be entertained after enforcement begins. Unregistered riders will be arrested and prosecuted in line with the traffic laws of the state,” Adekoya warned.
He was quoted as saying that the enforcement came following recent incidents, including armed robbers on an unmarked motorcycle snatching a trader’s earnings at gunpoint in Bodija Market, while a passenger was also robbed by a fake Okada rider in the ‘Challenge Area’.
He noted that a kidnapping attempt was foiled after locals reported suspicious riders without QR jackets on the UI-Agbowo axis.
The OYRTMA chairman urged residents to patronise only Okada riders with these official jackets, asserting that the benefits include real-time rider verification, crime prevention, emergency tracking, and increased passenger trust.
The state traffic management vowed that it would conduct daily raids and impound non-compliant motorcycles, apply fines, and possibly prosecute violators where necessary.
The ICIR reports that the policy introduced in November 2023 requires Okada and tricycle operators to register under the State Residents’ Registration Scheme.