A Nigerian police inspector has been killed during a clash between security operatives and commercial motorcyclists otherwise called Okada riders in Lagos.
The incident happened around Cele bus stop, Apapa-Oshodi road, on Wednesday, April 5, 2023.
It was learnt that violence broke out in the area when police officers attempted to arrest some of the commercial motorcyclists.
The commercial motorcyclists were said to have resisted arrest using cutlasses, and other objects to attack the police officers.
Confirming the incident, Benjamin Hundeyin, Lagos police spokesperson, in a statement on Wednesday, said the police officers were at the scene to enforce the existing ban on motorcycles in some parts of the state.
He also noted that a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) sustained a serious injury.
“While enforcing the existing ban on the use of motorcycles in parts of Lagos State, Police Officers of Isolo Division came under attack from motorcycle riders at Cele bus-stop, resulting in the death of one Police Inspector & serious injury to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO),” he tweeted.
According to Hundeyin, two suspects have been arrested, while 41 motorcycles were impounded.
He added that the command would not be deterred from carrying out its mandate of enforcing duly established laws.
“Citizens are urged to remain law-abiding, as riders and passengers alike arrested on prohibited routes will face the law. Above all, any form of attack on Police Officers will no longer be tolerated!” the police spokesman said.
The Lagos State Government had instituted the okada ban in six local government areas (LGAs) of the state, including Ikeja, Surulere, Eti-Osa, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island, and Apapa, with effect from June 1, 2022.
It later extended the ban to four other states — Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Shomolu, and Mushin — beginning on September 1, 2022.
