Kunle Adelabu
-Say they have no other means to feed themselves, families
-Allege policemen of brutalization, demand of N15, 500 to N50,000 for release of motorcycles
Members of the Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State (MOALS), Ikorodu Branch A, popularly known as ‘Okada’ riders , on Thursday,July 2, 2020, took to the street to protest the alleged incessant arrest, disruption of their operations within the town and demand of exorbitant amount of money by the police to get their seized motorbikes released.
They alleged the police of brutalization while arresting their members with three of them showing scars and permanent damages to their legs, while also appealing to the state government to allow them operate within the town so as to be able to feed themselves and their families.
It was gathered that the protesters had marched to the Ayangbure palace and the Ikorodu Local Government Secretariat and were on their way to the Ikorodu Divisional Police Headquarters along the Ikorodu – Igbogbo road, when our reporter came across them.
The Chairman, MOALS, Ikorodu Zone A Branch, Mr Kayode Jimoh Pashokun, was addressing other members of the association along Alhaji Street – Itunpate road, when our reporter arrived the scene.
Speaking with THE IMPACT, Mr Kayode Pashokun, popularly known and called, ‘Jendor’, said that he got to know about the protest by his colleagues when somebody called him and informed him about it and that he immediately searched for them until he met them at the Ajayi Medical Centre, situated along Alhaji Street – Itunpate road, Ikorodu.
“I was called where I was that members of our association have protested to the Ayangbure palace, Council Secretariat and that they were on their way to the Igbogbo road police station due to the police harassment”, the Chairman explained.
“They said that the protest is spontaneous and they were forced to protest the incessant seizure of their motorcycles by the police.
“They said that they can’t rob or engage in any other acts that are against the law but that yet, they have to feed their families”.
Pashokun said that the protest by the okada riders was meant to bring government’s attention to the plight of commercial motorcycle riders in the State and appealled to the Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to look into their request and allow them to operate within the areas they are not restricted to enable them earn a living to feed themselves and their families.
He also informed our reporter that the State Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), M.C Oluomo, is also working on their request.
“Our members said that they are protesting to call government’s attention to their flights. They are specifically pleading with the Governor of the State, Commissioner of Police and influential politicians to come to their aid and allow okada riders to operate within areas they have not been restricted to”, he said.
“I have been able to calm them down and also assured them that our leader, M.C Oluomo, the State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), is already working on our request and we are expecting result from him. I have appealed to them to calm down”, Mr Pashokun told our reporter.
Mr Olorunlambe Yusuf Olanrewaju, an okada rider in Ikorudu who took part in the protest, said that he has been arrested twice in the last two weeks by policemen from Ibeshe Police Post and Shagamu Road Police Station and that he had to pay some money to get his bike back.
Many of the protesters also alleged that they had to pay between N10, 500 and N50, 000 to get their Okada released when they were apprehended by the police.
“I was arrested last week at Alogba Estate by the policemen from the lbeshe Police Post.
“They collected N10, 500 from me before they could release my okada”, he alleged.
“Also, policemen from Shagamu road police station also arrested me three days ago and collected #15, 000 from me before releasing my motorcycle”, he further alleged.
When asked what his offence was, he said that the police officers claimed that they were enforcing state government directive on Okada riders ban in the state.
“They said I was arrested because government said that we should not work until further notice, but then, we have wives, children and other dependants that we are taking care of”.
Olanrewaju further said that they have to work to feed their families and added that there are no other job opportunities for them to take advantage of.
“What does the government wants us to eat and how do we take care of our needs and that of our?”, he asked rhetorically.
“We have been looking for another work to do since government gave the directive but there is none and the pressure is getting much”, he lamented.
He said that they are getting conflicting orders from the government and the police on the ban and restriction while he also showed our reporter the injury he suffered to his right leg while the police were attempting to arrest him and impound his okada.
“We are getting conflicting orders. Initially, we learnt that government only banned okadas in six local governments while we are allowed to work in other councils, but the police are saying that they have directive to arrest us”, he said.
“We have not been operating on the expressway and other restricted areas”.
He said that the main cause of the protest was the massive arrest of okada riders by the police and other law enforcement units in Ikorodu on Thursday.
“The main cause of our protest today (Thursday), is because a combined team of Police, Neighbourhood Watch and others started confisticating motorcycles and arresting the riders across the town.
“We are appealing to government to look into our matter and allow us to work within the town and also stop the police from harassing our members any further”.
Another rider, Mr Azeez Jimoh, who said that they are aware of the Coronavirus pandemic and efforts by the government to curtail it, but appealed to the government to allow commercial motorcycle riders to operate because they have to feed their families.
“I am only appealing to the government to allow us work. We are no longer operating on the expressway”, he pleaded.
“We are aware that the restriction due to COVID – 19 is for the general good but we are appealing that they should allow us to operate to be able to feed our families. We are ready to comply with the directive that we should carry one passenger at a time and use nose cover”, he pleaded.
He also lamented that his okada has been seized for about a month and taken to Alausa and that it has been very difficult for him to feed his families.
Jimoh also stated that many Okada riders have been permanently maimed in the course of attempting to avoid arrest by the police.
“Many riders have been injured due to the way the police have been going about the arrest of our members. We have many of our members with broken legs while others have had their okadas taken away by the police. We have also lost some of our members due to this unprofessional conducts by the police”, he alleged.
Prince Sulaimon Alagbe, an okada rider from a royal family in Ikorodu, stated that his damaged leg was caused by police.
He added that he has also been arrested recently and that he had to pay N15, 000 to get his motorcycle released.
“I was apprehended by the policemen at the Ibeshe Police Post and they collected N15, 500 to bail my bike.
“We have not been plying restricted areas. Government should please allow us to work so that we can feed ourselves and families.
“We have been using nosecover and yet, police are still running after us. It was when the policemen were chasing me that l ran into a speeding Marwa and one of my legs was damaged in the accident. This is the leg”, said stated while showing his injured leg to our reporter.
“Government should please show us compassion. We are doing this to survive because there nothing we can do again. Many of us have technical jobs but we can’t work due to the economic situation in the country”, he pleaded.
Another Okada rider, Emmanuel, an indigene of Enugu State operates in Ikorodu and a partaker in the protest, also pleaded with the government to allow them to operate.
He said that okada riders are not causing any trouble contrary to what is being said about them, adding that their children are hungry at home because they have not been working due to the police harassment.
“We are also paying house rent. Where does the government want us to get money to pay for the rent? Why are they threatening us for riding bikes?
“Can government provide jobs for about 2milion okada riders in the State? If not, what do you expect them to do to feed their families. As it stands now, there is no job” he asked.
Emmanuel, while asking the government to reconsider its ban on Okada, also added that his okada has been seized by the police since January and impounded.
He also stated that the seizure of his okada has made life difficult for his family as he cannot carter for them since then.
“We can longer pay house rent and NEPA bill and the landlady has given us quit notice”, Emmanuel said.
“Government should please hear our cry and show compassion. They should understand our pains”.
Another Okada rider of Hausa extraction, Adamu, also alleged that his okada was impounded by the police on Wednesday, July 1,2020.
“My okada was impounded by policemen at Ebute and they are asking for N50, 000 for it release”.
Like his colleagues, he also pleaded with government to release his bike and allow them to operate.
A Gokada rider, Mommah Jiyah, was also seen joining the protest in solidarity with okada riders in Ikorodu.
When speaking with our reporter, he said that he was once riding commercial motorcycle and do understand the pains his colleagues are going through. He pleaded with the government to allow them operate to be able to feed themselves and their families.
The Public Relations Officer of the Lagos Police Command, Mr Bala Elkana, was yet to respond to messages sent to him on the allegations against the police by the commercial motorcycle riders in Ikorodu.
