‘Okada riders damage 42 govt buses in Lagos protests’

IT was time yesterday for government agencies in Lagos to count their losses after Monday’s protest by commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada riders.

The protest also continued yesterday in some parts of the metropolis.

The riders, in their hundreds marched on Alagbado and Alakuko, outskirts of Lagos, accusing the police of shooting one of their colleagues.

The atmosphere was tense. The dead motorcyclist was identified as Alagede. He was allegedly shot by a policeman attached to the Alakuko Division.

The incident occurred at Kollington bus-stop on the Abeokuta Expressway. The veracity of the claim could nt be confirmed at press time.

The protesters threatened to burn down the Alakuko police station, if the officer was not produced.

As of the time of this report, they have vandalised a LAGBus and a bonfire was made at Alagbado Bus stop, opposite AIT road.

An eyewitness told The Nation that the LAGBus was stopped at Kollington Bus stop, Alagbado and passengers were forced to alight.

The management of LAGBUS Assets Management Ltd. said 37 of its buses were damaged.

The company is one of the operators of buses using the dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane in the metropolis.

Another operator, the Lagos Metropilitan Area Transport (LAMATA) said five of its buses were vandalised.

Managing Director of LAGBUS, Mr. Babatude Disu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that despite the damage, no passenger was injured.

Disu said the company was still taking stock.

Mr Kolawole Ojelabi, the External Relations Specialist of LAMATA said: “Although commuters were stranded at our bus stations because ticketers were not on ground, we had to begin operation immediately normalcy returned in order not to increase people’s hardship.”

Meanwhile, those who spoke with NAN condemned the action of the motorcyclists.

Mr Oladele Banjo, a civil servant who resides at Sango and works at Ikoyi, said he had to trek from Ikoyi to CMS because the few buses on the road on Monday were held up in traffic.

Another civil servant ,Mrs Ibukun Adegbesan, condemned the act, saying it was unlawful for certain people to hold the state to ransom for their selfish reason.

“The law is operating and commercial motorcyclists have to abide by it, after all some states have enforced the law and yet heads did not roll. A banker, Mr Ralph Edet, said the vandalism was a foolish way of reacting because the buses were for the masses.

“Nigerians should learn not to destroy government property as a way of showing their grievances because it causes a setback to the economy,” Edet said.

NAN reports that due to the protest, most commuters were stranded while others had to take a long walk to get to their destinations.

NAN also reports that the hardship continued on Tuesday morning as many passengers were stranded while other commercial bus operators hiked their fares.