Video: Pandemonium as Taskforce, Commercial Motorcyclists Clash in Lagos

Video: Pandemonium as Taskforce, Commercial Motorcyclists Clash in Lagos

By Chiemelie Ezeobi

Pandemonium erupted at Second Rainbow Bus stop, along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, on Tuesday, when some officials of the Lagos State Taskforce clashed with commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada.

The violent altercation started after officials of the taskforce seized some commercial motorcycles and made to take them away in their trucks.

Quickly regrouping, the motorcycle riders, who had hitherto fled when the officials started their operation, launched an attack to recover the seized motorcycles.

The situation quickly escalated and became a full blown clash that caused gridlock along that corridor as the angry riders unleashed mayhem.

They also set bonfires on the express with tyres, thus blocking that stretch of the express enroute Mile 2 bus stop.

While motorists were stuck in the traffic, passengers in commercial buses were forced to disembark and trek to their destinations while the buses turned into filling station and drove one way back to Oshodi.

According to eyewitness account, the drivers were forced to turn because some of the buses were damaged by the rampaging motorcyclists.

It took the concerted effort of the police and other security operatives including soldiers to quell the situation.

When contacted, acting Deputy Director, 81 Division Army Public Relations, Major Osoba Olaniyi, said it was not out of place for soldiers to be called in to quell the crisis.

He said, “Remember that soldiers are still out on the streets of Lagos to enforce curfew. The curfew is not over so they are deployed strategically across the state.

“We have not been called back (to the barracks). So soldiers going to restore peace when there is such a crisis is still within our area of responsibility.”

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