The Plateau Lawyers Bar Forum has demanded harsher punishments for commercial motorcycle riders who breach the ban on operations in Jos-Bukuru metropolis. This follows a violent attack on Sunday in Angwan Rukuba, a community in Jos North Local Government Area, where 28 people were killed by gunmen. The lawyers linked the ease of movement by suspected attackers on motorcycles to the ongoing security challenges in the area. They urged state authorities to enforce the existing ban more rigorously and impose stiffer penalties on violators. The forum stated that lax enforcement undermines efforts to restore peace in Plateau State.
Calling for tougher sanctions after 28 people are killed does not address why the ban was unenforced in the first place. The Plateau Lawyers Bar Forum's demand places focus on punishment of riders rather than the failure of intelligence and security deployment. If the state could not stop armed men from moving freely on bikes despite the ban, harsher penalties alone will not restore safety. The real issue is implementation, not legislation.
