Two persons were said to have died after the police, okada riders
and commercial motorists clashed in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State.
Mayhem was created in the area after okada riders allegedly threw
stones at some policemen in a desperate attempt to evade arrests
on Wednesday, following a reported ban of motorcycles in the
estate.
We learnt the police launched a reprisal on the motorcyclists ─ who
were mostly Hausas ─ shooting one of them to death in the process.
On Thursday, the riders were said to have attacked commercial
motorists who they alleged of plotting with the police to exclude
them from the transport activities in the area.
The riot was said to have reached a climax on Friday when the
okada riders stormed the motor park and vandalised no fewer than
23 buses.
Our correspondent, who visited the area around 3pm on Friday,
observed about 23 damaged vehicles.
Remnant of a burnt motorcycle and tyres were also seen at the
scene, while the inside of some buses were littered with blood.
Our correspondent learnt further that an okada rider was attacked
with a cutlass and later died, while other members of both parties
sustained degrees of injuries.
Anxious passersby were seen on the road as they could not get
vehicles to convey them from the troubled area.
A resident, Isaac Emmanuel, told PUNCH Metro that the violence
almost degenerated to inter-ethnic crisis, but for police from Maroko
Police Station, who restored normalcy to the neighbourhood.
“The whole thing started on Wednesday between the police and
okada riders. They were throwing stones at the policemen who
wanted to seize their motorcycles. A mobile policeman shot one of
the riders dead. Meanwhile, there is a longstanding rift between
okada riders and shuttle bus drivers. So they thought it was those
drivers using the police to victimise them.
“ The clash was so intense that the estate main gate had to be shut.
In fact, I was nearly attacked, but I was left alone because I spoke
Yoruba. I don’t know the actual number of casualties, but both
parties sustained injuries apart from a rider that was hacked to
death.”
However, an executive member of the park, Mr. Augustin Olufosoye,
absolved his colleagues from the motorcyclist’s death, claiming that
they were busy running for safety.
He said, “Lekki Residents Association banned okada here two years
ago. The truth is that what happened here was caused by the police.
“They collect money from them and allow them to operate after the
association had banned them.
“That is why they are agitating when the police suddenly turned
against them.
“But I don’t know why they decided to frustrate us and damaged our
property. They vandalised about 31 buses.
“We ran away from them. Five of our members were injured and
three are in the Marina General Hospital.
