By Kayode Adeoti
Monday was a terrible day for the Chief Executive Officer of Kwara
State Road Traffic Management Authority, (KWARTMA), Alhaji Yekini
Babatunde Bello and his staff following the clash that ensued between
employees of the agency and commercial motor cyclists, popularly known
as Okada riders.
The Okada riders chose the day to protest alleged extortion by KWARTMA
officials and the police in the state, a development that saw the
former storm the agency’s office at Gaa Imam area, Ilorin in their
large number.
The commercial motor cyclists set part of the KWARTMA office ablaze
and also ended up beating staff of the agency mercilessly.
Speaking with this medium after the incident in his office on Monday,
Bello, recounted his ordeal said the aggrieved Okada riders threw
pebbles at his office and efforts to address the situation yielded no
result.
“I was sitting down here this morning, my men were outside, and before
now, I’ve stopped enforcement on Okada riders except the ones that
drive against the traffic. I was made to understand that this morning
they were rioting against the police until they saw our patrol
vehicle.
“Information got to me that they’re coming here (KWARTMA office), and
I quickly alerted the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), ASP
Ajayi Okasanmi to send a detachment and he promised that said they
will come. When I called again, he emphasised that they were on their
way.
“Shortly after, they started hitting the gate and when it appeared
they were going to pull it down, we matched out just to scare them
away thinking the police will soon join us. But the Okada riders came
inside and unleashed terror on everyone in sight leaving all my
administrative widows shattered.
“Many of our men were beaten; some had broken legs, fracture and the
likes. They transferred their aggression unfortunately we rarely
arrest them and when we do, we ask them to pay fine in the bank,
collect teller which they take to the Kwara Internal Revenue Service
(KWIRS). Money does not exchange hands here,” he stated.
Among employees of the agency who were injured in the attack is Nasir
Abdulkadri.
Speaking with this medium, he said, “Only God saved my life, the stone
first landed on my nose before I was pushed to the ground where I was
endlessly kicked like a ball.
Three staff of KWIRS; Tejumola, Abimbola Yusuf and Tope Alaya also
narrated how they were stoned by the aggrieved motorcyclists.
Also, Aliu Gabi, who was trying to escape through the fence was caught
by the angry mob and beaten.
Some of the KWARTMA officers who sustained injuries as a result of the
attack were rushed to the Olaolu hospital, Gaa Akanbi for treatment,
Others who sustained multiple injuries are; Raji Modupe, Abdulrasak
Jimoh and Shamsudeen Cole and one Kudirat among others.
When contacted, the Kwara State police spokesperson, Okasanmi said,
“The command received information about the protest today and we have
never received any complaint from commercial motorcyclists being
extorted by the police or KWATMA before now.”
He however said that the state Commissioner of Police has released
three phone numbers for the public to report any misconduct by the
police.
According to him, unless the commercial motorcyclists have ulterior
motives against the police which the investigation will reveal later,
he said the command never received report as regards the cause of the
protest before now.
“We received information on the protest today and we went there to
calm the situation.
“No arrest was made so far and there were no casualties and the
officers are still there,” Okasanmi divulged.
Similarly, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigeria Security
and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ayodele Bello, assured that the
situation is under control.
