Gridlock On Oshodi-Apapa Expressway As Okada Riders, Task Force Clash In Lagos
LAGOS NOVEMBER 18TH (NEWSRANGERS)-There was heavy gridlock along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos as commercial motorcycle riders (popularly called Okada) clashed with officials of the Lagos State Task force on Tuesday morning.
The Cele-Express to Mile 2 axis of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway was mostly affected as Motorists stayed in traffic for hours while pedestrians ran helter skater to avoid being hit by stones thrown by okada riders and smoked by tear gas fired by officials of the task force to scare away the okada riders who set up burn fire along the ever busy expressway that link the Nigerian wharf.
Trouble started when officials of the Lagos State Task Force stormed the express to clear articulated vehicles parked indiscriminately on both sides of the road.
The Task force team according to our source equally clamped down on okada riders in the area seizing a trailer load of motorcycles. The okada riders later resisted further arrests and seizure of their motorcycles leading to a free-for-all. The task force team fired teargas while the okada riders responded with stones.
“They stormed this express as early as 6 am this morning (Tuesday) and started towing trailers parked on the road. We were happy thinking they wanted to clear the road until they started arresting okada riders and seizing their motorcycles. They started from Cele and moved gradually to Second Rainbow and other popular junctions on the axis where okada riders operate. I saw they drive away a truck load of okadas. It was when the riders could no longer bear it that they started attacking the task force people,” An eyewitness account said.
“They stormed this express as early as 6 am this morning (Tuesday) and started towing trailers parked on the road. We were happy thinking they wanted to clear the road until they started arresting okada riders and seizing their motorcycles. They started from Cele and moved gradually to Second Rainbow and other popular junctions on the axis where okada riders operate. I saw they drive away a truck load of okadas. It was when the riders could no longer bear it that they started attacking the task force people,” An eyewitness account said.
Confirming the incident, a commercial okada rider in the axis said: “Yes we retaliated. This is not the first time they are doing this. They just come seize your bike and never return it. That is our source of livelihood. We can’t just allow them take it away from us. We threw stones at them while they fired teargas.”
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