OKADA BAN: POLICE KILLS ONE, INJURES ANOTHER

Okada Ban: Police Allegedly Kills Commercial Motorcyclist, Injures Another

Chiemelie Ezeobi

Pandemonium erupted today at the Alakuko area of Lagos State, following the alleged killing of one commercial motorcyclist, and the purported injury of another by policemen.

Popularly known as Okada rider, the deceased simply identified as Alagede, was allegedly shot dead by a yet-to-be identified police officer purportedly attached to Alakuko Police Station, Area G, Ogba Command.

Meanwhile, another motorcyclist was rammed into the gutter by some police officers in a patrol van at the Ogba/Pen Cinema area for trying to evade arrest. He was said to have been seriously injured from the fall.

The police officer was said to have shot the okada rider at Kollington Bus Stop, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway while enforcing the state government's recent ban on okada riders on 475 roads in the state.

According to eyewitness account, the errant police officer had allegedly ordered the okada rider to park his motorcycle for having violated the state government’s prohibition of motorcycles on that particular stretch of road.

 On Alagede’s refusal to stop as ordered, the gun totting police officer allegedly shot him on the spot to stop his escape.

 Immediately the news filtered out, several aggrieved okada riders took to the street and started vandalising state owned buses and other public property.

Chanting war songs and carrying placards to register their displeasure at the ill-treatment meted to them, the protesters called on the state government to rescind his unfavourable decision.

The protest was later hijacked by hoodlums who reportedly threatened to burn down the Alakuko Police Station.

Although the protesters allegedly hunted for the police officer at the centre of the melee to vent their anger on him, he was however no where to be found as he had wisely scampered to safety.

Whilst the unrest lasted, motorists, passersby and shop owners fled to safety, leaving the area deserted.
Meanwhile, the aggrieved colleagues of the injured motorcyclist at the Ogba/Pen Cinema axis pushed him in a cart to the Pen Cinema Police Station demanding that the police should foot the bill for the treatment.
To ensure peace, men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) were deployed to the axis and also the Pen Cinema Police Station was placed under heavy security to forestall attacks.