Our correspondent gathered that an Okada rider, said to be plying one of the restricted routes, was chased by the patrol teams.
An eyewitness said when they left after chasing other Okada riders away, others went on the rampage threatening to attack any LASTMA man in sight.
When our correspondent arrived at the scene of the incident, some of the protesting Okada riders were seen blocking the Roundabout at the end of the road with a traffic box.
They also beat two officers of the
LASTMA controlling traffic on the road before they were rescued by
passers-by and members of the Ojodu-Berger chapter of the National Union
of Road Transport Workers.
Some of the motorcycle riders said they
were not operating on any of the restricted routes in the state and
could not understand why the police had continued to molest them.
The incident caused a gridlock before
members of the Ojodu-Berger chapter of the NURTW mobilised themselves to
control the traffic.
Chairman of the Ojodu-Berger Park of the
NURTW, Mr. Tokunbo Seriki said the police were on a “sanitising”
exercise across motor parks in the area.
He said it was after they finished checking the park that they decided to move to the Okada Park.
Seriki said, ‘‘I was told that a fight
was about to break between the LASTMA officers and the Okada riders, so I
quickly moved in with my officers. This axis is known for peace and we
will not compromise the peace for anything. We will control the traffic
till we are sure the officers are safe.”
Source: Punch
Hmmmm Eko onibaje. Sometimes u wonder if d only people living in lagos are d LASTMA and Okada riders, no week passes without confrontation between d both.
ReplyDelete~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA3310
Okada people are been treated like goats and are been oppressed by men on uniform! Am not surprised at their reaction!! They have had enough!
ReplyDeletethis seike guy speaks good english. an officer of NURTW speaking english like this. i m impressed.
ReplyDeletepolicemen should not take advantage of the law on okada riders. naija shaa!
He gave dem helmets before election,after election he impounded dere bikes which is their only source of living
ReplyDeleteSTFU how many of them make use of those helments.Endangering lives with their recklessness. Ignorant mumu
DeleteI still don't understand why they've refused okada. The population in lagos Ȋ̝̊̅§ more than the available buses. U̶̲̥̅̊ need to see Ђδω passengers were struggling for buses D̶̲̥̅̊i̶̲̥̅̊ƨ̣̣̣̇̇̇̇ mornin. The beatin serve the lastma officials right
ReplyDeleteThis is nice...very nice
ReplyDeleteEvery1 shld fight 4 their RighT. Yh fashola might be the governor and YH Okada might be the riskiest kind of transportation BUT what other job opportunity as HE(fashola) provided 4 these people, or doesn't he understand that more than 60% of people are unemployed, yet they(Government) will be complaining abt high level of theft when they are the cause of iT. I Support the okada people, if fashola hates it so much then provide an alternative master!
ReplyDeleteI love that the Okada riders protested because most security operatives are taking advantage of the ban to harass them
ReplyDeleteThe Government of the day has failed. Its sad that our so called leaders have soldout, we don't have anything to show for all our years of democracy, instead these civilian devils have ruined the little we have built. Our schools are under funded, our youths have no jobs, our roads are death traps, our hospital s don't work, no security, no power, everybody has lost faith in the system except the Corrupt fools who have dubiously rigged themselves into power. As a nation Nigeria has lost morals, her citizens have no respect whatsoever for human life. Its sad that we still see ourselves as giant of Africa. We have failed to uplift the heritage our founding fathers left . We have failed our brothers and sisters . Its a shame to call myself a Nigeria, when all I see is wickedness In the heart if my fellow compatriots. I hate to call myself a Nigerian when all I see is innocent and helpless victims of an unfavorable system. Lagos is gradually falling into the hands of tugs and scallywags who go arround destroying human lives and properties. Its a shame that fashola has lost the love we lagosians once had for him
ReplyDeletewww.mykokoradio.com
This fight must continue till no one is able to quech the fire that come forth out of it. If fashola will not be reasonable to know that the lergest percentage of Lagos population are the unemployed and then the little that are gainfully employed are at the risk of loosing their job to transportation problem, then we have to expect more than what okada riders are doing now. Eko n baje lo
ReplyDeleteGovernor Fashola sholud pls stop the police from further harrassment and killing of okada people.In as much as l support the ban, l dont support the inhuman treatment being given to the okada riders. how on earth can the police beat and strip an okada rider naked. is that what they are being aked to do to them. Another one was shot very close to my office in ilupeju today. Just heard now that the guy is dead. l am really angry cos nobody is saying anything. the okada rider should fight for their right. By the time they continue to destroy govt properties, Fashola would be forced to caution those stupid police.
ReplyDeleteGovernor Fashola sholud pls stop the police from further harrassment and killing of okada people.In as much as l support the ban, l dont support the inhuman treatment being given to the okada riders. how on earth can the police beat and strip an okada rider naked. is that what they are being aked to do to them. Another one was shot very close to my office in ilupeju today. Just heard now that the guy is dead. l am really angry cos nobody is saying anything. the okada rider should fight for their right. By the time they continue to destroy govt properties, Fashola would be forced to caution those stupid police.
ReplyDeleteNa breast be that,huhh @supreme ice cream
ReplyDeleteGov Fashola, u have done well in the past. What do u think you are doing now? Did u provide alternative jobs for these men? How are they going to feed and cater for their families? Pls think this thru and come out with a better solution.Do u want them to become armed robbers? U can be sure that robbery will be on the increase now. A lot of govt funds are stolen everyday, channel it properly.
ReplyDeleteNaija is abt to explode... D ban has its advantages n dissadvantages...
ReplyDeleteit's unjust why are these uniform men taking laws into their hans? Dat servs them right.
ReplyDeleteFashola in my opinion plans on eradicating †̥ђε̲̣̣̣̥ middle class in lagos making †̥ђε̲̣̣̣̥ poor irrelevant in his administration,he is †̥ђε̲̣̣̣̥ devil that gave helmets during his campaign and now turns around to take their bikes.
ReplyDeleteI will advise †̥ђε̲̣̣̣̥ okada officials to continue †̥ђε̲̣̣̣̥ demostration while calling for †̥ђε̲̣̣̣̥ resignation of fashola, †̥ђε̲̣̣̣̥ guy has done enough. Mtscheeew
I think they too have a say...
ReplyDeleteWarri girl you are on point!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou people are praising Okada for confronting the Lagos State Government, when the Government apply the Sledge-hammer on them by total banning of Okada transportation then People would know it is not always good to confront Government the ways and manners Okada Riders are doing by distroying Government Buses.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are just lazy jokers. Read to even fly bike to the tioilet. Most of the oada riders had a some form of work before venturing into the okada business. Let them go back or go straight back to where they came from. Lagos is not for everyone. No more okada final. Maybe you will see my view better when you have your legs broken by one of them lazy bikers who has no regard for traffic rules. Rubish
ReplyDeleteLagos is supposed to be a place of opportunity ..to say "lagos is not for everyone" implies that not eeveeryone is entitled to an opportunity because of their background and this is wrong!.let fashola make an alternative is all we ask. Getting your leg broken by an okada man is as bad as getting shot in a robbery attempt made by a now unemployed okada man depsperate to cater for his family. It is not easy to just chang occupations back. Capital is involved .
DeleteLOL! Shet men. Police brutality is always a no-no, but my issue with okada drivers is that they are not disciplined! If they obeyed laws like they were supposed to and were not driving across you when the light is green for you to move or driving on your side of the road in the opposite direction they would not be an issue.
ReplyDeleteU guys shudnt pity dis LASTMA and d police men attacked...... That serves dem right bcos dis area is not a restricted area but dis men of Force usually disturb riders n forcefully charge(egunje) 4 operating as if d area is also restricted.
ReplyDeleteIs Nigeria Better than China yet china have billions of bike on the road for the poor masses even the middle class so what are we say we need the okada people all lagos state should have done is to govern them with A set rules and regulation not To ban them yet He gave dem helmets before election,after election he impounded dere bikes which is their only source of living
ReplyDeleteChrisbrizzy
ReplyDeleteWhen you take the breast milk away from a baby, is it not fair enough you at least provide it with cow milk? When you fail in this obligation, the baby will keep crying 'cause that's its only voice.
Fashola should have provided the 'okada' men an escape route rather than strike them bluntly the way he did. This will increase crime in Lagos with time, bet me.
I just keep wondering how they expect these riders to survive. There is no job in Nigeria, yet they are taking away the little in surviving without providing an option. I know of a graduate who rode okada b4 traveling out.
ReplyDeleteBan the Okadas totally. Stupid lawless bunch of touts
ReplyDeleteI think keeping okada off Lagos roads is not a bad idea. But some sort of job opportunities has to be created for these guys and until then they are going to keep causing problems!
ReplyDeleteHm!na wa!what fashola needs 2 do is ban okadas completely...its been done in asaba and its workn so far!put a complete stop 2 dis rubbish!y'all dnt have 2 live in lagos,go 2 ur own states and let ur state govt get u jobs!
ReplyDeletena wa...there is fire on the mountain. so these are the Nigerians with better suggestions commenting here then we are dead. One person even suggested an outright ban and compares lagos to asaba. Its a shame that it has become traditional to fit square pegs in round holes in Nigeria. The motorcycle iself as a mode of transportation is a relatively safe, eco friendly,fast, rugged means with go anywhere potential. It suits our road networks fine or rather the lack of it. For every 4 people not commuting on okada that's an extra car on the road to cause even more traffic congestion.
ReplyDeleteThis potential should be harnessed, controlled and licensed properly by the government. Go to small Togo over there and see how Okada solves their problems. They are properly trained, uniformed and tagged. No problems.
The problem is not okada, the problem is order. Provide an order and things will fall into place. Shooting and maiming surely isn't the way forward...says L.A.S.T.M.A Killa