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| ODD STORIES - Nigeria helmet |
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 07 Jan Have pumpkin shell helmet, will ride
Nigerians have a reputation for being innovative but motorcyclists in the West African country have proved to be particularly so, by wearing dried pumpkin shells on their heads to dodge new laws forcing them to wear helmets.
According to authorities in the northern city of Kano several motorists have been stopped wearing what turned out to be "improvised helmets", made of dried pumpkin shells.
Road safety officials said calabash-wearers would be prosecuted following this month's introduction of the helmet law.
Thousands of motorbikes have been impounded around the country and drivers have staged protests.
Yusuf Garba Kano’s Federal Road Safety Commission commander told the press that the law would take a hard line with people found using the improvised helmets.
"We are impounding their bikes and want to take them to court so they can explain why they think wearing a calabash is good enough for their safety," he said. Fifty motorbikes had been seized so far in Kano city alone, according to Garba.
Motorcycle taxis, called "achaba" in the north of the country and "okada" in the south, are a cheap way for Nigerians to get around congested and chaotic city streets. Many drivers of the motorcycle taxis are furious over the new law, which came into force on New Year's Day.
In the city of Kaduna, drivers waved palm fronds and rode in convoy to protest at the price of helmets, which can cost up to $29 (£20).
Drivers say passengers often steal the helmets once they reach their destination.
Stories have also appeared in the local papers highlighting passengers' fears that the helmets could be used by motorcyclists to cast spells on their clients, making it easy for them to be robbed.
Road safety authorities say almost every collision in Nigeria's cities involves an okada. More than 4,000 people die on Nigeria's roads every year and 20,000 are injured, according to the Federal Road Safety Commission.
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