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Tag: Okada rider

  • Okada rider docked for allegedly stealing N140,000 generator

    Okada rider docked for allegedly stealing N140,000 generator

    The Police yesterday brought a 39-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Saleh Muhammed, before a Surulere Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a generator valued at N140, 000.

    Mohammed is facing two- count charge of conspiracy and ýstealing.

    Prosecuting Inspector Benson Emuerhi said the accused, and others now at large, committed the offence at 76, Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos around 4am last Monday.

    He alleged that a vigilant security gaurd apprehended the accused as he tried to steal the generator.

    “But the security man, Yusuf Ibrahim, was able to get hold of the accused and handed him over to the police,’’ Emuerhi said.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate A.A. Famobiwo granted him N50,000 bail with one surety in the like sum.

    Famobiwo said the surety should be gainfully employed, with evidence of tax payments to the Lagos government.

    She adjourned the case till November 8.

  • Okada rider injured in accident

    A commercial motorcyclist popularly known as Okada was injured yesterday following a collision with a Faragon bus marked AGL426XM.

    The accident happened on Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja around 10am, while the driver was trying to avoid task force officials.

    It was gathered that the motorcycle caught fire because of the collision’s impact.

    An eyewitness, Gold Umeh, said: “Thank God shops were open. People brought water from their shops to put out the fire. When the motorcycle exploded, people took to their heels thinking it was going to spread to other places.”

    The bus conductor, Adejuwon Akinkunmi, said the task force officials caused the accident.

    “We had to run because they were sure going to exploit us. Our bus was also affected by the fire and it is another expense on our part. The painful thing was that as they saw that it resulted in an accident, they just drove past us. They didn’t even park to see if anyone was injured. The motorcycle rider was slightly injured on the head and hand. I don’t even know what our offence was before we were being chased. The token we made this morning (yesterday) would be used to repair the bus. It is unfair.”

  • Family of slain okada rider seeks justice

    Family of slain okada rider seeks justice

    Members of the family of a 24-year-old man, Benjamin Okoli, allegedly shot dead by a Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) officer in Ondo State five months ago, have petitioned the Commissioner of Police through their lawyer, Mr. Orlu Mills. They are seeking justice on their son’s death.

    Okoli, who was a commercial motorcyclist (okada rider) and his family’s bread winner, was allegedly killed at the premises of Olukayode Magistrates’ Court in Akure, the state capital, by a prison officer whose identity is yet to be known. He was said to have been shot while attempting to escape from the court.

    It was learnt that the deceased was arrested by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) along Arakale where he had gone to buy fuel. It was also learnt that he was on his way home when he was arrested and handed over to men of the Ondo State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

    He was said to have contravened an order by the government temporarily banning okada riders from operating at that time.

    According to Emmanuel, the deceased’s elder brother, Okoli was detained for 10 days before he was arraigned last August 5.

    Emmanuel said: “We engaged a lawyer and he was able to secure his bail. But when the lawyer was working on his bail, Benjamin tried to escape as a result of the inhuman treatment he had experienced during his illegal detention at Olokuta Prison before he was arraigned before the court.

    “He was, however, caught immediately and returned to the Black Maria that brought him to the prison that day. He was badly beaten and mercilessly tortured in the presence of everybody.

    “Some minutes later, we heard some gun shots right there and that was the last we saw or heard about our brother.

    “We want the warders to tell the world why they killed our brother in cold blood.”

    Emmanuel further said the health of their parents has deteriorated since the incident while their other siblings have not been finding it easy to pay their school fees.

    He said Benjamin’s fellow suspects rushed him to the state specialist hospital where he was confirmed dead by doctors and his corpse was dumped in the hospital’s mortuary.

    “We were forced to pay the sum of N42, 000 for the autopsy ýafter which we had to raise money for his burial in Kogi State.

    “He was a very hard working young man. He was into tiles fixing and had used the okada business to augment the family’s finances,” Emmanuel said.

    However, Mr. Mills has vowed to pursue the case to a logical conclusion.

    Mills said: “Information at our disposal showed that the Warder who shot Benjamin was just overzealous as he was not among those who pursued him in the initial place.

    “We are aware the police have commenced investigation into the matter and we have requested the prison authorities to hand over the alleged warder for proper investigation.

    “But we foresee a conspiracy by the authority of Olokuta Prison and, by extension, the Nigerian Prisons Service to sweep the matter under the carpet.

    There must be an end to impunity and extrajudicial killings if this country must progress. Nobody is above the law of the land.

    Spokesman of the State Prisons Service, Tunde Ogundare said investigation into the matter is ongoing, even as he refused to speak further on the matter.

    Also, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph asked for more time in order to get more facts and give better clarification on the matter.

  • Road accident claims one in Ondo

    Road accident claims one in Ondo

    A road accident involving an Okada rider and Honda accord car has claimed the first victim of the new year in Arigidi-Akoko, Akoko Northwest local government area of Ondo state.

    Eye witness said the middle-aged man had a head-on collision with the car around 1 00 a.m and died instantly in front of Akograms in Arigidi-Akoko.

    The carnage happened almost the same time people were ushering in new year 2016 across the country.

    Sources said the woman who drove the ill-fated car took to her heels immediately the accident occurred and personally reported the case to the police at Arigidi-Akoko for protection and further investigation.

    The Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Ikare,Mr Jimoh Basiru attributed the carnage to night factors.

    Also,the Chief Medical Director(CMD)State Specialist Hospital,Ikare,Dr Olatunde Olawoyin confirmed that a corpse was deposited in the hospital’s mortuary.

    However,as at press time,the victim was yet to be identified by his family members.

  • Drama as Okada rider escapes life jail

    Drama as Okada rider escapes life jail

    There was joy at an Ikorodu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos yesterday when a 19-year-old commercial motorcyclist Solomon Alu got a second chance to fight for his freedom. He had initially pleaded guilty to a seven-count charge of manslaughter.

    Alu, from Ebonyi State, was accused of, among others, reckless driving, driving against traffic, not wearing a helmet, causing the death of one Phillip Alu and injuring Mrs. Ogunfuye Funmilayo when his motorbike was involved in an accident around Benson Bus-Stop, Ikorodu, on July 1.

    During his trial, the court was astonished when Alu, head bowed, shoulders sagging and in tears, pleaded guilty to each of the seven-count charge. The offence contravened Sections 19 and 20 of the Road Traffic Laws of Lagos State. To the court’s surprise, was representing himself because he had no lawyer.

    In a voice, he muttered “guilty” to every count read to him. Even when he appeared to be struggling to understand some of the charges and they were re-read to him, his answer was still: “guilty”.

    After listening to him, Magistrate Makanju-Oshodi retired to her chambers. Under the Criminal Code, the maximum sentence for manslaughter is life imprisonment.

    “I have nobody,” Alu told The Nation, when he was asked why he didn’t have a lawyer. “I have nobody. I am 19 years’ old”.

    On why his family was not in court with him, he sobbed: “My elder brother is 22 years’ old. He is in Anambra taking care of our mother. She is ill. I’ve told him not to tell her I’ve been arrested.”

    On the magistrate’s return, two lawyers, a man and woman, walked in. “Are you the accused?” the man asked. Alu nodded.

    “We’re here to take your case for free,” the lawyer said.

    With the lawyer’s appearance, the magistrate allowed Alu to retake his plea. This time on his lawyers’ advice, he pleaded not guilty.

    The magistrate granted him N200, 000 bail, with two sureties in the like sum. She said the sureties should provide evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail conditions.

    The case was adjourned till August 6.

  • Suspected ritualists behead Okada rider in Ekpoma

    Suspected ritualists have beheaded a commercial motorcyclist, popularly called Okada rider, at Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

    The incident took away the head of their victim.

    The incident was said to have occurred at 8pm on a lonely street adjacent to the Ambrose Alli University College of Medicine.

    The body was left in a pool of blood with splashes of blood on the scene.

    It was learnt that the hoodlums boarded the motorcycle, pretending to be passengers.

    The hoodlums were said to have attacked the Okada rider on the street.

    A resident said he heard a loud shout for help, accompanied with heavy bangs on the gates of some houses on the street.

    The ritualists reportedly overpowered the hapless motorcyclist and took away his head.

    The source said the residents met the headless body the following morning in a pool of blood.

    They alerted the police, who removed the body.

    The residents are said to have become used to retreating indoors early, following constant robbery attacks on the street.

    The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Esan West Local Government, Mr. A. A. Shaibu, confirmed the incident.

    He said the matter had been transferred to the command’s headquarters in Benin, the state capital, for further investigation.

    A police source said some suspects, including the younger brother of the deceased, were being investigated.

    “The younger brother is being interrogated as the last person that called the deceased’s mobile phone before the killing,” the source said.

     

  • Anxiety grows over fate of Okada rider who exposed Ibadan horror

    Anxiety grows over fate of Okada rider who exposed Ibadan horror

    THE whereabouts of a commercial motorcyclist popularly called Okada rider, who blew the lid on the evil at the Ibadan forest of horror is still unknown. His name is Kazeem and it was he who sent distress text messages to friends and colleagues while being held captive at the forest. Unfortunately, he was not among the victims rescued by people and minions of law at the forest. And seven days after the Saturday’s discovery of the evil forest, curious residents and colleagues of Kazeem said they would not give up until their missing colleague is rescued from the jaws of kidnappers. As at Tuesday, his colleagues claimed they still received test messages from him asking them to rescue him from the kidnappers’ den. Already, a search party has been launched for the Okada rider by his colleagues and relatives, who many believe could still be alive, in the forest with nine others. A source, who asked not to be named, said: “Kazeem is a commercial motorcyclist and was lured by one of the kidnappers to the site. Unknown to his captors, he had hidden a cell phone which he used to send distress text messages to people. “He used his phone to contact some of his colleagues and gave them the description to the site of horror. That was how we came to this forest to search for him. We have searched everywhere but could not find him. We have also called his phone severally after but we could no longer reach him. He might have been killed in the forest.’’ One of the Okada operators, who is also a member of the search team, Mr. Babayemi Farinu, described his kidnapped colleague as gentle and focused. Another Okada operator, Dapo Abbey, who spoke with The Nation yesterday, said: “We all came here to show solidarity and to fight agents of darkness. It is not because we know him, he is not under our unit, but he is our colleague because he is an Okada operator. “His name is Kazeem and he is from Olomi area. From what we gathered from people who know him, he is such a gentle and diligent person. He was said to have brought two passengers here last Saturday but ended up being kidnapped. He has been sending distress calls since Saturday, and this afternoon, we learned that he sent text messages to people. What that means is that he is still being held somewhere in this forest with others,” he said. “That is why we appealed to policemen to help us to search for him,” said another commercial motorcyclist, who gave his name as Ade. Nasiru Akeem, a member of Soka Unit of Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), described the disappearance of their member as very painful and unfortunate. “When we rushed to the forest based on the distress call from Kazeem, we searched everywhere, including the building where some of the victims were found, but we couldn’t find him. Some of us shared ourselves into groups and moved deeper into the forest where we discovered more horrifying sights. We have also been to the police in an effort to arrest the fleeing kidnappers. At the moment, we have embarked on prayers and fasting because we believe that God will make it possible for us to locate his whereabouts. “We have no doubt that he is still alive; soon God will touch the hearts of his abductors and save his life”, he added. Some roadside mechanics, who ply their trade a few metres away from the horrific site, expressed disbelief and shock at the discovery. Soka is one of the new residential areas on the outskirts of Ibadan where the forest is located. Part of the forest was occupied by some construction firms, who left at the completion of their projects, leaving behind the structures used by the kidnappers to perpetrate evil. A cross section of residents, who spoke with our correspondent, described the area as a dangerous place, especially at night, claiming that the law enforcement agents had for years been informed of the criminal tendencies of some unscrupulous elements found around the area, but nothing was done to address it. About 20 men and women were evacuated from the bush. The victims were bags of bones having been apparently subjected to starvation and neglect by their captors. Among the victims was a woman who claimed that she was delivered of a baby two days before the discovery and that her baby was immediately sold by her abductors. Some appeared like lunatics with deadlocks on their heads. The scene at the forest which stretched over 15 kilometres was repulsive as decomposing bodies, human skulls, graves and human parts littered the place. Abandoned structures, containers and tankers also compete for space. They were allegedly used by the kidnappers to keep away their victims from sight. Not a few of their unlucky victims had been slaughtered there and sold in parts to human parts buyers. Inside the abandoned buildings, there were tell-tale signs of rape and torture of victims. Among the items found are travelling bags, foot-wears, clothes, national drivers licence, wallets and passport photographs . One of the national driver’s licence bears the name Akinola James Idowu (Ogun State) of NYSC Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan with expiring date April 4, 2014. Another national driver’s licence found is that of one Saidi R. Adetoro of 52, Yaya Abatan Street, Ogba Lagos State. It was issued on March 29, 2003 and expired on November 3, 2006. Some of the mechanics, who operate close to the forest, said the human parts trade had been on for years. They claimed to have sighted on a number of occasions some persons in posh vehicles at the site of the horror. Adekola Abato, a mechanic who spoke with our correspondent, said: “This is surprising. Since I came here for over eight years now, I never knew that this terrible thing is going on here. We ought to have known this but it’s very difficult to detect. We thank God that they have been exposed, but they have caused a lot of pains to the families of their victims.” Although, the forest has since been condoned off by security agents, but angry residents have continued to throng the site wielding cutlasses, clubs, shovels, iron rods and other dangerous weapons in an attempt to arrest the perpetrators of the heinous crime. Not even the sounds of gun shots and tear gas canisters fired by the police to ward off the crowd could scare them away. Governor Abiola Ajimobi has since revoked certificate of occupancy and reclaimed it for the state government. The Chairman of Oluyole Local Government, Hon. Abass Aleshinloye who witnessed the evacuation of the kidnapped persons on Saturday described the action of the captors as criminal.