‘Okada’ operators adopt new robbery method

SOME commercial motorbike operators, popularly called ‘okada’, in the Ashaiman municipality have devised a new method of robbing people, particularly their passengers, of their valuables.

Some of the okada operators have now graduated from the stealing of mobile phones, handbags and other petty things to physically attacking their victims right in their homes.

The method of operation is simple. First, the motorbike rider does his best to appear very sociable and engages the passenger in conversation as he transports the passenger to his or her destination.

Upon reaching the passenger’s home, he requests for some water and then engages the passenger in a chat, before he finally departs.

He thanks his stars if the kind and innocent passenger welcomes him into his home, as he uses the opportunity to clandestinely take record of the items in the would-be victim’s room.

After carefully taking a visual record of the valuables, the okada man’s next move is to mobilise an attack on his victim at night with all kinds of dangerous implements.

Many residents have fallen victim to this new wave of criminal activity in the Ashaiman municipality, and this has thrown a huge challenge to the Ashaiman Divisional Police under the command of Chief Superintendent David Eklu.

When contacted, the Commander expressed grave worry over the high indiscipline being exhibited by a section of boys who operate the ‘okada’ business.

Lawlessness on the roads, he pointed out, is very high in Ashaiman and the okada boys are the worst offenders. That, he said, is a serious matter of concern to the police.

He noted that most of such criminals who hide under the okada business use unregistered motorbikes; and according to him, his outfit had recorded six cases of robbery involving the use of such unregistered motorbikes.

The modus operandi, he explained, is so unsuspecting that any cordial passenger is likely to fall victim to these boys.

“They pick you as a passenger and once you arrive at your destination and they luckily get to know that is your residence, they come later to rob you,” he said.

He mentioned the months of July and August as the periods when the police recorded high okada-related lawlessness, adding that the police have tactfully worked out a strategy to clampdown on their new robbery tactics as well as road-traffic lawlessness.

He called for a stronger support from the general public to assist the police to reduce the rising spate of lawlessness in Ashaiman.

Interestingly, the okada operators in Ashaiman have been given classifications. Those who usually snatch mobile phones and handbags and speed off are called “the class one boys” while those who specialise in robbing their victims in their homes at night are called “seniors”.

As for phone and handbag snatching, it usually happens at all times of the day unlike their ‘senior’ criminal okada boys who only strike at night.

But while Ghanaians are being terrorised by these okada operators, one wonders what has become of the law banning the use of motorbikes as a commercial means of transport in the country.

Is that law only a paper tiger? Or are our law enforcement agencies completely overwhelmed by the sheer numbers involved in the okada business?