Pandemonium in Abuja as Okada riders protest alleged killing by taskforce
A violent clash occurred between commercial motorcyclists and the FCT taskforce near the EFAB bridge, on Wednesday stretching from Galadima to the Public Service Institute in Dutsen Alhaji along Kubwa Expressway in Abuja.
The escalating pandemonium forced many vehicles to seek alternative routes and led to a partial closure of Kubwa Expressway around 11 a.m.
Reports indicate that the violence erupted after the taskforce allegedly killed two members of the commercial motorcyclists, commonly known as “Okada riders.”
Protesters were seen setting bonfires on the Dutse Alhaji bridge, while police responded by firing tear gas canisters to disperse them.
It was gathered that a policeman was observed desperately trying to escape the scene to avoid the angry youth on motorcycles who were armed with clubs, machetes, and other weapons.
The mob, accordimg to eyewitnesses, chased him down and intercepted his vehicle near the Charley Boy area, severely beating the helpless policeman, causing onlookers to fear for his life, while the driver managed to escape.
When contacted, the spokesperson of FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident saying: “The incident happened between taskforce and Okada riders, one person is said to have been killed, we are investigating to know to know who is killed.”
On the story doing rounds that a policeman was killed during the clash, she refuted the story stating that: “Non of our officer is killed in the incident, please disregard the story.”.
