Activities on the Lekki-Epe expressway were halted for several minutes by residents of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State over the alleged murder of a young commercial motorcyclist, popularly called Okada rider, by a policeman in the state.
Aside from the deceased motorcyclist, two other Okada riders were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries after officers attached to the Elemoro Police Division shot at the bikers.
On Friday, The Guild correspondent learnt from the aggrieved residents and commercial motorcyclists that the tragedy occurred at about 11:00 pm yesterday when the officers were enforcing the traffic law around the Onosa bus stop end of the Lekki-Epe expressway.
It was learnt that they shot at three commercial motorcyclists, while one died, two others survived the shooting and were currently on admission at a medical facility in the state.
During the demonstration, the angry protesters, including residents and motorcyclists, demanded immediate justice for the deceased okada rider, who they claimed was killed by a police officer.
The protesters, who were armed with leaves and sticks, blocked the Lekki-Epe expressway at Onosa bus stop, a few meters from the Ibeju Lekki Local Government secretariat.
Eyewitnesses narrated that the peaceful demonstration that started at about 9:30 am later degenerated after the policemen attached to Area J Command allegedly shot teargas canisters at the protesters, resulting in the demonstrators mounting road blocks and setting up burn fire on the expressway.
The development, they added, caused panic across the council, especially in Malete, Elesekan, and its environment.
One of the eyewitnesses, who spoke on anonymity, said: “The riders went to the Area J Police Command to express their grievances over the deaths of their colleague and to seek justice for the deceased motorcyclist.
“But, the response from the police to them was bad as they shot teargas canisters at them. This angered the protesters and they embarked on setting up burn fire and blocking the road”.
Addressing the demonstrators to sheathe their swords, the Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Sesan Olowa, and the Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, promised justice to colleagues of the deceased rider.
Jimoh assured the protesters that the erring police officer has been arrested, saying the law will take its full course.
Olowa, who addressed the crowd of protesters, assured them that treatment of the victims and compensation would be made by the council.
