Confusion in Borno as Tinubu unveils 3,000 electric bikes amid motorcycle ban

Residents of Borno State have expressed confusion following President Bola Tinubu’s commissioning of 3,000 electric motorcycles in the state, despite an existing ban on the use of motorcycles.

President Tinubu, who was on a state visit on Saturday, inaugurated a fleet of electric vehicles comprising 3,000 motorcycles, 500 tricycles, 100 cars and 20 buses with a capacity of 42 passengers each. He said the initiative would improve mobility and boost transportation efficiency, particularly in rural areas.

Commending Governor Babagana Zulum and the people of Borno State, the President described the project as a major step towards easing transportation challenges. According to him, the electric bikes, tricycles and charging terminals would help address mobility constraints and reduce transportation costs.

However, the development has raised questions among residents, as the Borno State Police Command had, on July 25, 2024, reiterated a ban on the use of motorcycles in the state, including both electric and petrol-powered bikes, due to security concerns.

In a statement at the time, the police spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, said the ban was approved by the Borno State Security Council in response to prevailing security challenges. He warned that anyone found riding or possessing a motorcycle would be arrested, adding that filling stations selling fuel to motorcyclists risk sanctions and closure.

When contacted on Monday, ASP Daso confirmed that the ban remains in force. “The status quo remains. The enforcement of the ban on electric and petrol-powered bikes continues. It was issued as an executive order by the governor and has not been lifted,” he said.

The Senior Technical Assistant to the Governor on Print and Digital Communications, Abdulrahman Bundi, also confirmed that the policy has not changed. “This is a police issue. If the police say the ban is still ongoing, then it means it is still in force,” he told PUNCH Online.

Following the unveiling of the electric bikes, residents have called on the state government to clarify the situation. Ibrahim Hassan, a resident of Polo in Maiduguri, said people were expecting an official announcement lifting the ban.

“How can the government commission 3,000 motorcycles when riding them is prohibited? Who will use them? Or are they being kept until the ban is lifted? The government should clarify so people know whether they can buy them,” he said.

Another resident, Alkali Adamu, also questioned the development in a Facebook post, describing it as confusing. He asked whether the president’s action implied that the state government had lifted the ban on electric bikes.

Umar Aminu, meanwhile, commended the government for the initiative but said clarity was needed. “We appreciate the governor for the many projects, especially the electric bikes. But we need to know whether only certain people will be allowed to use them or if the ban has been lifted, so residents can make informed decisions,” he said.