A woman was yesterday robbed by two commercial motorcyclists in Anthony Village.
Mrs Aloka Ebere told The Nation that she was going to deposit N43,000 in the bank when she was robbed.
She said: “The money is for my church, St Paul in Ikorodu. I alighted from a bus at Anthony Oke and as I walked down the road, two men on Okada double – crossed me. They collected the money, my phones, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, office identity card and other valuables and they drove off immediately.
“I cried for help, my eyes are swollen, it was a sad and unfortunate experience.” said.
Mrs Ebere said her family members had been calling her number, but the robbers told them to stop the calls.
She said she had reported the case at Pedro Police Station.
“I have blocked my Access and Skye bank accounts, which ATM cards the robbers collected and also my MTN and Etisalat lines, which are in the phones the robbers collected from me,” she said.
Tag: Okada riders
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Okada riders rob woman of N43, 000
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Okada riders protest ticket fee hike
Commercial motorcyclists popularly known as okada riders operating in Igando, Akesan and Egan areas of Lagos, yesterday, kicked against the exorbitant ticket fee imposed on them by the Motorcycle Owners Association of Lagos State (MOALS).
The motorcyclists described the fee as a deliberate move to kill their busness.
Commuters were left stranded as the riders carried placards, with inscriptions: “Freedom of association”, “No more Motorcycle Owner Association of Lagos State (MOALS)”, “We need change.”
The protest resulted in a gridlock around Akesan and Igando highway.
Condemning the 90 per cent increment, Egan Zone Chairman Mr Onyebuchi Nwaji said unless the association rescinds its decision, operators will not hesitate to withdraw their membership of MOALS.
“MOALS are imposing themselves on us. We formerly buy ticket N500 daily but it has now been increased to N900 which we riders cannot afford. We have decided to join Wagari Nacowa Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NNAMORAL), affiliated to Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) who is ready to support our plight and come to our rescue. We have a freedom of association and we have decided to join NNAWORAL.
Addressing their grouse, NNAWORAL State Chairman, Chief Suleiman Jafo expressed readiness to receive them.
He urged them to ensure their protest was in accordance with the law to avoid being hijacked by hoodlums.
Policemen from Area ‘M’ Command waded in to restore normalcy.
They urged all parties to maintain law and order and seek mutual resolution.
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Four ‘killed’, others injured as Customs officers go on rampage
At least four persons were Thursday feared killed and three others injured after some trigger-happy Nigerian Customs Service (NIS) operatives went berserk.
The incidents occurred at Moshalashi and Kola Bus Stops at Alagbado and Ajegunle in Alakuko.
It was gathered that the Customs operatives, allegedly attached to the Federal Operations, were chasing some rice smugglers while they suddenly started shooting sporadically in the crowded areas.
The four persons, who were said to have been hit by stray bullets, were commercial motorcyclists.
Among them, The Nation gathered, was a 25-year-old identified as Saheed, whose wife was said to be pregnant.
It was gathered that the operatives who rode on four patrol vehicles, took one of the victims as they fled. They were said to have injured about three other persons who were taken to an undisclosed hospital.
It was gathered that the Customs operatives while fleeing, threatened to shoot policemen from Alakuko Division, who attempted to stop them.
A resident who hinted on the incident said that the officers acted as though they were drunk.
He said: “It was around 7am. I was inside my house and suddenly I started hearing gunshots. I looked through the window to see what was happening and people were running. I saw about four Customs vehicle and the officers were just shooting anyhow.
“Later, I heard they were chasing rice smugglers but all the people they killed were Okada riders. Bullet hit one on the stomach; another person was hit on the leg and another one on the hand. About four people died. Blood was everywhere and the Customs men escaped.”
The Nation gathered that residents of the area soon took to the streets in protest against the operatives. They were said to have vandalised several properties and burnt tyres on the major roads to ground vehicular movements.
Commercial motorcyclists were said to have attempted to raze an Oando gas station, where the Customs officers usually stayed but they were stopped by policemen led by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Commander, Tunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).
Efforts to get the Customs’ spokesman, Uche Ejesieme’s reaction on the issue failed at the time of filing this report.
Contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP) said one person was killed.
She said: “Some Custom officials were on the trail of a vehicle, in the process they went berserk and started shooting. One passerby was shot to death around Ajegunle in Alakuko. A patrol team led by the DPO of Alakuko Division, moved to the area to douse the tension.
“They fired sporadically and escaped from the scene. The dead body was evacuated to morgue. Investigation is ongoing.”
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Okada riders ‘stab’ task force officials
Motorcycle operators stabbed two paramilitary officers attached to the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) BRT monitoring team at Oyingbo towards Iddo in Lagos yesterday.
The leader of the enforcement team, Anthony Abutu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), explained that they were on enforcement operations from Yaba, Jibowu, Oyingbo and Iddo when it happened.
A statement by its Public Relation Officer (PRO), Adebayo Taofiq, said the miscreants and motorcycles operators, who mobilised to rescue impounded motorcycles, attacked his men and stabbed Ogbonna Bernard and Ibrahim Yusuf.
Bernard was stabbed twice on head and eyes. Yusuf was stabbed on leg and stomach.
“Both of them are in the emergency wards at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital ( LASUTH) at Ikeja,” he said.
He said 45 motorcycles were impounded and 20 suspects who carried out the attacks were arrested.
Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni, he said, has directed that the suspects be charged to court.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Lagos State Land Grabbers Committee in conjunction with the task force have arrested five land grabbers, who have been terrorising people around Lekki and Ajah axis.
They are Ganiyu Owoeye, 42, Sola Adeyemi, 47, Samson Raheem, 35, Kazeem Solude, 41, Sakiru Ademuyiwa, 27.
The leader of the group, Owoeye who refused to disclose their godfathers said they had been working around Lekki-Ajah for about 15 years.
Owoeye said they had sold many lands to different people around the area before they were caught yesterday by the task force.
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Drama as RRS arrest motorists, Okada riders plying BRT Lanes
Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives yesterday arrested three vehicles including a bullion van and scores of Okada riders for plying the designated BRT lanes.
The alleged offenders were arrested in Mile 12, Ikorodu Road and Mile 2 areas of Lagos.
According to a RRS official, many of them were rushing to get to their various places of work on time and couple with the usual traffic gridlock; they decided to ply the BRT lanes to beat the traffic snarl.
Some of them on sighting the operatives, The Nation learnt took to their heels but were apprehended.
Commuters, motorists and bystanders watched as the operatives chased the offenders.
The RRS official said: “in a situation like this, whenever private motorists see us coming, they reverse and try to avoid arrest and after apprehended, they gave excuses and pleading to attract public sympathy.”
He urged other road users to always give way whenever RRS officials are chasing traffic offenders.
“Whenever a traffic offender is being chased, don’t stop to watch because you could be contributing to traffic congestion; better still, please give way, because we don’t have to pass through one-way to apprehend culprits,” he said.
According to him, the action is going to be carried out daily to ensure sanity on the road, adding “We cannot continue to tolerate lawlessness on the road; majority of the commercial bus drivers signals their colleagues plying BRT lanes or driving against traffic that the RRS officials are around; some just turn back or reverse. This happens almost every day, but because work starts on Mondays, everyone will be in haste to get to their various destinations, then passing through the opposite lane.”
Those arrested, he said, have been handed over to the Lagos Task Force, who will refer them to the Mobile Court.
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Rivers Bloodbath: Wike ban Okada in 4 LGAs, orders security clampdown
Worried by recent spate of killings and cult-related violence in Rivers State, Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has ordered an indefinite 15-hour daily ban on the operation of commercial motorcyclists, popularly called ‘Okada’.
The four local government areas include: Abua/Odual, Ahoada East, Ahoada West and Ogba/Egbema /Ndoni (ONELGA).
Okada operators, by the order announced on Sunday morning by Simeon Nwakaudu, a media aide, “are prohibited from operating between 5pm and 8am daily in four local government areas of the state for security reasons.”
It would be recalled that armed gangs have been on rampage in parts of the state, including Omoku, headquarters of Ogba-Ndoni-Egbema LGA (ONELGA) and hometown of PDP chairman in the state, Bro Felix Obuah.
The ONELGA headquarters witnessed at least a dozen deaths during the weekend owing to the activities of the deadly cult gangs in the area.
The statement stated, “Governor Wike has directed security agencies to enforce the ban.
“The governor regrets any inconveniences the ban will cause residents, businesses and commercial motorcyclists in these local government areas.
“He, however, called on all stakeholders in the mentioned local government areas to cooperate with the state government and security agencies to improve the security situation in their communities,” Nwakaudu added.
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Ondo govt, Okada riders disagree over taxation
Commercial Motorcycle Operators under the auspices of Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycles Operators (ACOMORAN) in Ondo state are set for fresh show down with the state government over what they termed “heavy” taxation.
They vehemently rejected the N20, 000 per head being charged by the government payable within one week.
It would be recalled that last year, there was a row between the ACOMORAN members and the statement over similar issue in which motorcycle operation was banned in Akure for over two months.
The motorcycle operators protested and damaged some property belonging to the state government including flower beceause of unbearable demands.
Already, the state government demanded the payment of N2, 000 residency card (kaadi igbeayo) purchase of reflective jacket and registration for new plate number totaling N20,000 per operator which they should pay within one week.
ACOMORAN members have rejected the charges, insisting that government should be considerate on the issue.
The aggrieved Okada riders on Tuesday marched to a private radio station in Akure to plead with leaders of thought and stakeholders in the state to intervene with a view to persuade Governor Olusegun Mimiko for leniency.
One of the Okada Operators said; “we are ready to dare the state government on this exploitative rate this time around, it is too much, there is no way we can cope with it. Many of us are on hired purchase agreement; we are ready for any eventuality.”
The State Commissioner for Transport, Nicholas Tofowomo could not be reached for comments.
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Okada riders vow to expose bad eggs
The Lagos Commercial motorcycle riders’ union leadership has warned bad eggs in the group to stop using their machines to rob. Alhaji Suleiman Raji Jafo, Lagos State chairman of ANACOWA Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, an affiliate of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) said the bad eggs won’t go unpunished if caught.
He said his association is determined to expose those who use Okada to rob.
Jafo said: “We have mapped out strategy to control and curb this menace; we are not resting on our oars to make this work. We will ensure that all our unit chairmen duly register their members, have a closer relationship with each member and even set up a task force to know their whereabouts.
“We want to study their way of life, this is tasking but we believe it is achievable with hard work and believe in God. It is very embarrassing and annoying as the state chairman whenever I listen to news about armed robbers making use of Okada to rob, but I can sincerely say most of these riders are not registered members of our association.”
He said the association has also warned its members to stop plying the expressway and other restricted areas in the state.
“We organise seminars every week to warn members on restrictions and we have committees and enforcement groups that monitor those who disobey our orders, you should understand there are bad eggs in every association but we have a way to control our members which I can vouch for; they have all realised the importance of all these and it is beneficial to them also as it reduces risk of accidents. They all know the implication of plying the highway,” he said.
Jafo appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni to prevail on law enforcement agencies to stop taking advantage of the restriction order to impound motorcycles even where the riders did not ply such routes.
This has been a major challenge daily, he said.
The ANACOWA chief said Okada riders had been beneficial to Lagosians by conveying them to their destinations in good time.
“It is also a known fact that most Okada riders are graduates and it has created a lot of employment for many of them. Government should support Okada riders by encouraging us rather than restricting our operations which may lead to mass unemployment. The last restriction by the state government has led many into armed robbery,” he said.
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Okada riders, plumber, guard, others assault police officer
A Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) was on Monday attacked by over eight persons in line of her duty on Johnson Street in Ikeja, Lagos.
CSP Amabua Mohammed, was injured on her left eye.
Mohammed was lured by a tricyclist she wanted to arrest into the midst of his (tricyclist) colleagues on Johnson Street, where she was assaulted.
Before escaping, he joined others to beat up the officer.
She alerted her colleagues who came arrested eight persons.
They are Abdulahi Yakubu, 30; Usman Chamaya, 27, and Abubakar Aba, 30, who are commercial tricycle operators; Azeez Adesanya, 51, a plumber, and Salihu Mohammed, 22, Mohammed Ali, 20, and Tanko Zimbo, 21, both traders, as well as Baba Lawal, 23, a security man.
They were arraigned yesterday before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly beating a policewoman.
The accused are charged with breach of peace, conspiracy and assault.
Prosecuting police Inspector Clement Okuoimose, said the accused committed the offences on Monday at Johnson Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
He said the accused and others still at large conspired to beat up Mohammed.
“The accused jointly beat up the policewoman by punching her all over her body and in the process, damaged her left eye,” he said.
Okuoimose said the police got information that a man used to ride one unregistered tricycle to convey passengers and robbed them.
“The police got a tip-off from some informants that one particular unregistered ‘Keke NAPEP’ normally picked passengers along Oba Akran and robbed the passengers of their belongings.
“So the complainant trailed the tricycle to Ikeja under bridge and luckily for her, she sighted the tricycle and gave it a hot chase.
“The rider lured her into the midst of his colleagues at Johnson Street, where she was attacked and beaten while the rider escaped,” he said.
The prosecutor said the complainant later alerted the police, who quickly rushed to the scene and arrested some of the accused while others escaped.
The offence, Okuoimose said, contravened Sections 166, 171 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
According to him, section 171 prescribes a three-year jail term for an accused found guilty
The accused pleaded innocence.
Magistrate Aka Bashorun granted N500,000 bail each with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case till February 29.
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Task Force swoops on Okada riders as Lagos begins enforcement
Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Of-fences Unit has begun the enforcement of the ban on commercial motorcycle (otherwise known as okada) and tricycle operation on major highways and bridges.
The enforcement, which is coming six days after the expiration of the deadline barring them from major highways and bridges, caught many operators unawares.
A source at the state’s Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and other Offences, a detachment of the state Police command, confirmed that the enforcement began last Wednesday.
The source said the men are working morning and night to ensure that defaulters are brought to book. He said major roads and bus stops such as Oshodi, Mushin, Ojota and others are being heavily policed to apprehend those who might break the law.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not entitled to speak on the issue, said the enforcement will continue until otherwise directed by the governor.
He said: “The governor gave three weeks notice to these people to leave all non approved roads and bridges and we have started the enforcement in full. Even those operating in non restricted areas must put on their crash helmet. No one is allowed under the law to put a commercial motorcycle on the road without a crash helmet, and the passenger must also be provided for. Anyone caught would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.”
Last weekend many major roads and highways witnessed a heavy presence of men of the state’s Task Force.
On Agege-Fagba road, one of the roads barred by the law, okada riders were seen riding against the traffic and branching into side streets to avoid the Policemen, who positioned themselves at the Jungle bus stop junction.
The Lagos Traffic Law, enacted in 2012, restricted motorcyclists and tricyclists to only 475 out of the 9100 roads in the state. It also barred them from all bridges.
All operators, according to the law, must wear standard crash helmet and provide same for their passengers. They are also barred from carrying more than one passengers, carrying children and/ or expectant mothers and must not operate beyond 8 p.m on Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Ikeja, and must not go beyond 10pm in other parts of the state.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had on June 25 given the motorcycle union leadership 21days to enlighten their members on the enforcement of the law, which comes with a forfeiture of their motorcycles and a three-year jail term for offenders.
The jail term could, however, be commuted to community service.
Most motorcyclists, who spoke with The Nation, said they were unaware of the deadline and called on the governor to give them more time.
A commercial motorcyclist, Audu Jamiu, urged the government to leave the okada riders alone as their operations have become the source of livelihood for a sizeable population of youths. ‘