Thursday, 15 May 2014

Tension mounts in Somolu as Police men and Okada Riders Clash.


There is tension in the Somolu area of Lagos State as Okada riders protest extortion by the Police at Alade Division.
it started around 5.pm Wednesday the 14th of May when some Police men attached to the Alade Division of the Nigerian Police arrested an okada Rider at the Fola Agoro Junction of the Bajulaiye Road and impounded his Okada for driving on a prohibited Road.
The rider who is always dressed putting on an Army Fez cap immediately called the Military man who owns the Okada at the Morocco army spot camp..
The army boys mobilized themselves and stormed folaAgoro where the Police men where still waiting to arrest more bikes,Some okada Riders whom have long suffered from the extortion of the Policemen followed the Soldiers and beat up some of the Police men.The bike and other bikes seized by the Police Men were retrieved.
later around 7.p.m some of the okada riders rallied together at Apata bus top ,a point where the Policemen use to arrest the Okada riders.they attacked the policemen ,the Policemen ran back to their Station ,.
The following morning,the Okada Riders gathered together at Apata bus stop where they ordered other Okada Riders to stop working as they had planned to protest the incessant extortion by the police men attached to Alade Division.
They marched through the Market street singing anti police song ,when they got to Okesuna street near the police Station they stoned the Police men whom had by then retreated to their Station.
The Policemen later went to the Okada riders office when they learnt the Area boys could hijack the protest but they were attacked by some hoodlums shooting straight at the Policemen.The policemen withdrew to their station and later reinforced to quell the attack of the rampaging hoodlums
At Odunlade Street ,the Police and the hoodlums clashed again at about 11a.m.One of the policemen attempt to shoot at the hoodlums was foiled when the trigger did not pull.
Speaking with some of the protesting okada Riders ,one of them Sanmi Adebola said"we are fed up with the daily extortion of the police.Sometimes you are arrested twice in a day by different teams of Policemen from Alade Division.they collect an average of Five thousand Naira before they will give you your bike.The next moment another set arrest you and tells you to pay Ten thousand .Sometimes they tell you it is the DPO that is in charge and if you do not want it taken to Alausa you have to pay Ten Thousand Naira,."
Another Okada rider ,Raseed said "we are fed up,how much do  we make in a day,they impound our bikes always not minding the fact that you just paid them money to retrieve your bike."
According to Jamiu Ayelokun,"This Policemen are a threat to our existence.They extort on a daily basis ,they are a bunch of shameless extortionist."
Some residents said the police men have no other duty doing in Alade than extorting Okada Riders.They are no longer concerned with maintaining Law and order in the Community"said Mr Adeyemo kayode A resident.But some residents said the person representing somolu in the Lagos State House of Assembly should be blamed and not the Police.the Police are doing their Job,those roads are restricted roads.So it takes two to tango,it is a matter of rub my back i rub your back.They the riders have committed an offence driving on restricted roads while the police too felt you have to either choose between taking your bike to Alausa for grinding or you pay a particular amount
As at the time of filling this report the tension is still on though some suspects arrested have been taking to the AreaH command

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