The Abia State Government has clarified that it has not imposed a blanket ban on tricycles, with Commissioner for Transport Chimezie Ukaegbu stating in Umuahia, that restrictions are limited to long-distance passenger routes and unauthorised motor parks.

The clarification followed confusion generated by an earlier directive concerning the activities of commercial tricycle operators, popularly known as keke, in Umuahia and other parts of the state.

Also read: Brandon Hudspeth makes welcome return as US consul general

Ukaegbu explained that tricycles remain permitted to operate, but operators are prohibited from using the vehicles for long-distance passenger journeys from Umuahia to destinations including Owerri, Obowo, Mbaise and Arochukwu.

The commissioner said the measure was primarily driven by safety concerns, noting that tricycles were not designed for extended inter-city journeys.

“The government remains committed to ensuring safe, regulated, and efficient transportation across the state,” Ukaegbu said.

The government had earlier directed keke operators travelling from Umuahia to Obowo, Owerri, Ohafia and Arochukwu to stop such operations, warning that violators could be arrested and have their vehicles impounded.

The clarification is significant because the earlier wording had created an impression that commercial tricycle operations were being prohibited more broadly across Abia.

The state government is also tightening control over motor parks in Umuahia.

Park operators operating outside the Nnenna-Oti Bus Terminal are expected to relocate, with unauthorised parks facing sealing, fines and possible prosecution.

Vehicles found at such locations could also be impounded.

The Abia State Harmonised Task Force and transport unions have been directed to assist with enforcement, while the government has also moved against the practice known as Akanelu, involving pick-and-drop services by long-distance commercial vehicles.

The government has framed the measures as part of a wider effort to improve order and safety within the state’s transport system.

For tricycle operators, however, the restrictions carry a significant economic concern.

Long-distance keke operators have appealed to the government to reconsider the policy, arguing that tricycle transport remains their primary source of income.

The operators have asked to be allowed to work alongside the state’s Green Shuttle buses rather than being excluded from the affected routes.

The disagreement reflects a wider challenge facing transport authorities, where efforts to improve road safety and regulate urban transport can directly affect the livelihoods of informal and small-scale operators.

The Abia keke curbs therefore appear to represent a restriction on particular routes and transport practices rather than a statewide prohibition on tricycles.

Also read: Brandon Hudspeth makes welcome return as US consul general

The government has urged operators and park managers to comply with the new arrangements, while affected transport workers continue to seek an accommodation that would protect both passenger safety and their livelihoods.