The Nigerian Army has banned the use of motorcycles in all the North-West States and Niger (North-central) where operations to tackle kidnapping and banditry have been launched.
The states are Zamfara, Kano, Kastina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger States.
The Army authorities took the decision following the “discovery that armed bandits, kidnappers, and their collaborators use motorcycles to perpetrate their heinous acts mostly around forests in the affected states”.
“This informed the decision and directive to ban the use of motorcycles within the hinterland particularly around the forests where the armed bandits, criminals and kidnappers hibernate and all around where troops are conducting operations alongside other security agencies.”
The army said that while the ban may cause some inconvenience to law-abiding citizens in the affected areas but “there is a need to use all means possible to stop the dastardly activities of these bandits across the North Western part of the country.”
Army warned that anyone caught using motorcycles within the named areas will be taken for an armed bandit, criminal, and kidnapper with dire consequences”.