'Achaba' riders desert Kano

Category: News Published on Thursday, 24 January 2013 12:24

As the Kano state government's new directive for motorcycle users came into effect Thursday morning, commercial operators, known as 'Achaba' have been leaving the state in droves and commuters have resorted to trekking over distances instead.

Daily Trust has also gathered that most of the Achaba riders have left the state for neighbouring states like Kaduna, Jigawa and Katsina rather than taking the option of registering their motorcycles as contained in the directive.

The government barred the Achaba riders and even private motorcycle owners from picking up passengers until they register their motorcycles with authorities in their respective local government areas.

Since the announcement of the ban, Achaba riders with small travelling bags heading out of the state has become a regular sight.

“I saw many of them with their travel bags on Zaria road which leads to Kaduna state”, a resident told our reporter.

It was noticed that most of the major roads in Kano appeared to be empty of the bike taxis as the restriction took effect on Thursday. Only a few private motorcyclists could be seen riding around the city without passengers.



When contacted, the state chairman of ACOMORAN, the bike riders union, said he was not surprised by the development because some of the bikers told him that when they traveled to their local governments for the registration, they found out that there was no arrangement made for the exercise.

“There is need for the government to enlighten people on the issue. I am not surprised that our members are leaving for other states. But there are many of them that are indigenes of Kano who will not go anywhere”, he said.