Tension As Angry Okada Riders Kill Lagos Task Force Officer

There was a mild tension around the Kara bridge area on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State on Thursday when angry Okada riders attacked the vehicle of Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (task force) officials.

In a bid to recover their seized motorcycles, a paramilitary officer attached to the task force, Monday John, has been feared killed.

It was gathered that the task force officials had gone to a destination in Lagos to carry out enforcement on motorcyclists plying the highway.

During the exercise, the officials reportedly impounded some motorcycles and put them in their operational truck and left. The officials were said to be carrying out another operation at the bus stop when the aggrieved motorcyclists attacked them around 2 pm.

A trader, who gave her name only as Bukola, told The PUNCH that a paramilitary officer working with the agency was lynched.

She said, “When they got to the junction to navigate a bend back to Lagos, they got down to raid other motorcyclists plying the highway.

“The motorcyclists protested against the raid and refused to release their motorcycles because the area is not under Lagos State. During the argument that followed, other Okada riders whose motorcycles had been impounded met them at the bus stop.

“The angry Okada riders started throwing stones and sticks at the task force officials. When the attack became much, the officials entered their vehicles and fled the area.

“A man who worked with them was mistakenly left behind and the angry motorcyclists pounced on him. They beat him with sticks and stoned him to death.”

A commercial driver, who identified himself as Olawole, said after the victim was killed, the mob dumped his body in a river close to the Kara Bridge.

He said, “The motorcyclists threw stones and sticks at the task force officials and two personnel fell from the truck. One escaped, while the other person was captured and killed. The motorcyclists dropped his body in a river at Kara Bridge. The police were informed and they came to the area to restore peace. We were also told that some of the people who committed the act had been identified.”

The spokesperson for the task force, Raheem Gbadeyanka, while condemning the attack, said no fewer than 21 suspects were arrested.

He said, “Investigation is still ongoing and the person is still missing. The person is a paramilitary officer attached to the team. He alighted to buy sachet water and was attacked by the motorcyclists and he’s still missing till date.

“We didn’t carry out any operation in Ogun State; we were only trying to navigate from there back to Lagos when the incident happened.”