Police, Commercial Motorcyclists Clash In Lagos Over Motorcycle Ban
HumAngle gathered the motorcyclists clashed with the police officers who were out to enforce the current ban on motorcyclists’ operation in some parts of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
Police officers fired tear gas on Tuesday, June 7, to disperse commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada at Idi Araba of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
The latter were protesting the ban on Okada by the state government in some local government areas.
HumAngle learnt that trouble started as commercial bike riders resisted members of the task force carrying out the ban on Okada in the state. The task force was out to impound motorcycles after the ban became effective on June 1.
The unrest on Tuesday afternoon caused residents to flee for their lives.
Police officers with the task force fired tear gas to keep the situation under control.
Benjamin Hundeyin, Police Public Relations Officer for Lagos command, told our reporter there was no clash between both parties.
“There was no clash because the task force went prepared. They were just causing a scene after the Taskforce left with some of their impounded motorcycles,” Hundeyin said.
“Idiaraba is safe. Nothing to worry about. Some lawless motorcycle operators were trying to cause trouble after their motorcycles were impounded. Our men are fully on the ground.”
“ We went back, used tear gas and the motorcyclist dispersed.”
No casualties were reported in the incident.
HumAngle reports that the Lagos State Government banned commercial motorcycle operations in some locations since June 1, 2022.
The affected Local Government Areas are Apapa, Eti Osa, Ikeja, Lagos Island, Surulere and Lagos Mainland.
The authorities had already seized thousands of bikes, now routinely crushed publicly.
The okada ban in Lagos State came after Nigerians expressed outrage after some commercial motorcyclists killed a young man in the Lekki area of Lagos following a disagreement over N100 balance.
The deceased, a sound engineer, was lynched and subsequently burnt.
The State Government argued that criminality grew in the state because of the activities of Okada riders. But motorcyclists claimed such bans would jeopardise their livelihoods.
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