Lagos warns residents over ‘free bus distribution’

 Tajudeen Adebanjo

LAGOS State Government has warned the public to disregard the fake news trending on the social media that it was planning to distribute free mini buses to Okada riders, to ameliorate their suffering.

The government described the information as baseless, unconfirmed and a fraudulent attempt by unscrupulous elements to swindle innocent people.

Commissioner for Transportation Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, who gave the warning at the weekend while reacting to the news making the rounds on the social media that “the Lagos State Government was planning secretly to provide all registered Okada riders with the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) identification cards with new mini buses as a way to curb the menace of unemployment’’, warned the public to be wary of people of dubious character.

The commissioner said that Block F, Room 305 where interested people were directed to visit at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja for free registration did not exist, while the name, Mrs. Omobolanle, named as the officer in charge of the registration, was fictitious and non-existent.

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“I, therefore, urge the residents to disregard this trending report on the social media platforms that secret plans are underway to provide all registered Okada riders that have LASRRA and NURTW identification cards with new mini buses as a way to curb the menace of unemployment. It is a lie, it is unconfirmed and a deceitful attempt to mislead innocent people,’’ Oladeinde said.

He added: “The state government hereby disassociates itself from this story and warns Lagosians to avoid being duped by unscrupulous elements that have the intention to take undue advantage of innocent well-meaning individuals in the society.”