- Police arrest 34, impound 86 motorcycles
Chiemelie Ezeobi and Sunday Ehigiator
The crisis over the ban on the commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke Marwa) by Lagos State Government claimed the first casualty as a young school girl was wednesday hit by a stray bullet in Aboru, a suburb in Iyana Ipaja.
The school girl was hit by a bullet as the police clashed with Okada riders who had come out to protest against the impounding of 86 motorcycles in the area and the ban on their activities in some local government areas of the state.
In the ensuing pandemonium, some miscreants hijacked the protest, vandalised cars and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as well as accosted motorists and pedestrians.
Commercial activities naturally grounded to a halt given the violent nature of the protest.
Banks, shops and markets were forced to shut down as the rampaging riders set bonfires as they destroyed whatever was in their path.
When the police reinforcements were deployed to quell the situation, the rioters repelled them, prompting the police to fire into the air, which hit the victim.
Kitted in her mint green shirt and check skirt, the victim was on her way home from school with her classmates when the stray bullet hit her in the stomach.
Although passersby tried to perform first aid on her by donating clothes and tying them around her to stop the blood from flowing, this couldn’t yield any positive result as she was said to have bled to death.
With this development, angry residents set a van belonging to Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) ablaze as the police beat a retreat to avoid being lynched by the enraged mob.
However, some of the protesters told THISDAY that the clash started because the police had allegedly gone into various shops where motorcycles and its spare parts were sold in the area, and attempted to impound them.
The dealers, who explained that the ban does not extend to them, resisted the police from removing the items and in the process led to chaos as miscreants joined in the confrontation that ensued.
The situation, which led to commotion, looting of businesses and destruction of property, caused severe traffic jam as motorists were caught in the clash.
Several vehicles were smashed and shops looted by miscreants who seized the opportunity to loot and vandalise property.
Following the violent attack, the policemen called for reinforcements as they were already overwhelmed by the crowd.
As reinforcement arrived, they fired canisters of teargas to scare away the miscreants, but they proved a hard nut to crack which led one of the policemen to shoot into the air to scare the crowd.
One of the riders, who spoke to THISDAY anonymously, accused the police of seizing the ban to exploit ‘Okada’ riders and dealers, most especially in the areas not affected by the ban.
He said: “Lagos State Government and Commissioner of Police should call the taskforce and other enforcement agents to order as they are using the ban to extort money from innocent riders and dealers in the areas not affected by the ban.
“The police authorities should create a monitoring squad that will check the excesses of their men while enforcing the ban. This is not fair to us. Do they want us to take to robbery or criminal acts? Why taking away from us our means of livelihood? Help us beg them.”
Debunking the death of the school girl, Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana, said the police had arrested 34 persons in connection with the unrest.
He said: “Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences and some teams of police officers carried out enforcement on restrictions of motorcycles and tricycles at Aboru area, where 86 motorcycles were impounded.
“The riders of the impounded motorcycles and thugs in large number advanced to Iyana-Ipaja and attacked police officers on duty at Iyana-Ipana roundabout, Alaguntan junction and Aboru junction.
“One Inspector Salifu Umar was injured by the hoodlums but no life was lost in the attack. The injured inspector was rushed to hospital and he is responding to treatment.
“One LASTMA vehicle and two Neighbourhood Watch patrol bicycles were burnt by the hoodlums. The windscreen of a police patrol vehicle was also damaged.
“Reinforcement was sent to the affected areas by the command headquarters and the situation was brought under control.
“Thirty-four suspects were arrested in connection with the violent attacks. The Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has condemned the attack on police officers carrying out their lawful duties and vowed that the perpetrators of such dastardly acts will face the full weight of the law.”
He added that all arrested persons would be charged to court.
