Uchenna Okafor Reiterates Commitment To End Touting, Illegal Ticketing of Keke, Okada in Delta State

The Director General of the Taskforce and Monitoring for the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association of Nigeria (COMTOA), Chief Uchenna Okafor, has reiterated his commitment to sanitising the operations of tricyclists (Keke) and commercial motorcyclists (Okada) in Delta State.

Addressing journalists in Asaba, Chief Okafor warned individuals and groups involved in illegal ticketing and touting across the state to desist immediately or face the full weight of the law. He said the Taskforce under his leadership would no longer tolerate the exploitation of the Keke and Okada riders through unauthorised levies and ticket sales.

According to him, only tickets approved and issued by the Delta State Government are valid and recognised for collection from operators. “We want to make it categorically clear that the sale or issuance of any other form of ticket by unauthorised persons is illegal, prohibited, and will be met with strict enforcement,” he said.

Okafor disclosed that his office had already commenced a robust enforcement campaign across the state, aimed at identifying and prosecuting individuals impersonating government or union officials to extort money from commercial transport operators.

“We will not fold our arms and watch criminal elements destabilise our transport system. Any person found engaging in illegal ticketing or harassment of operators will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” he stated.

As part of the reform efforts, Chief Okafor also announced the commencement of a statewide profiling and revalidation exercise for all Keke operators. The exercise, he explained, is designed to establish a verified database that will enhance regulation, improve accountability, and ensure that only duly registered operators are allowed to operate in Delta State.

The revalidation, according to him, will also help the association curb impersonation and create a safer environment for both operators and commuters.

The Director General’s actions have received commendation from transport unions and stakeholders across the state, who described the move as a timely and necessary step to restore order in the transport sector. Many operators expressed optimism that the initiative will bring an end to years of harassment and multiple levies imposed by non-state actors.

Stakeholders say the enforcement and data revalidation efforts have the potential to reposition the transport system for greater efficiency and transparency.

With enforcement operations ongoing and the government backing the Taskforce’s mandate, Chief Okafor has urged all commercial Motorcycles and Tricycles operators to comply with the new guidelines and report any act of extortion or impersonation.

“The era of lawlessness is over,” he said. “We are building a system that works—for the government, for the unions, and most importantly, for the hardworking men and women who keep our roads moving.”