By Daud Olatunji

For residents of Abeokuta, Ogun  State capital, the  fear  of Okada riders is the beginning of wisdom. Apart from their  stunts on the road, they are gradually turning into terrorists as they unleash violence on the people at the drop of a hat.

*File Photo okada riders

A standoff  between  rival groups  over  alleged harassment of each other’s  members left some dead and several  others with various degrees of injuries.

In another incident, one Mr Saula Ogunjohn was reportedly killed while seven persons were arrested  in Sabo-Sagamu, when a group of motorcyclists allegedly launched attack  in a bid to hijack the leadership.

For more than six   months,   it has been violence  against   each other  or commuters who have  unpleasant stories to tell  whenever  Okada riders strike.

Recently, pandemonium broke out in Isabo,   Abeokuta when  rival groups of motorcycle operators clashed.   Many residents scampered for safety, but three persons were not lucky   as they were badly injured.

Policemen stormed the scene and apprehended 31 persons among whom were foreigners. Twenty four hours after, Ogun State Police Command  dragged the arrested persons  before  a magistrate  court in Isabo  for allegedly unleashing terror on  fellow motorcyclists, leaving three  with serious injuries.

Specifically they were charged with three count  of conspiracy, breach of public peace and felony.

The prosecutor, Sunday Eigbajiale,told the court that the suspects   were members of   a  motorcycle association who attacked members of  Amalgamated  Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria, ACOMORAN.

According to him, their offence was   punishable under Section   516 of   Criminal Code Laws   of Ogun State.

“The suspects attacked Elegbede Wasiu with log of wood attached with nail and bottle which caused him injury on his head,”he told the court.

“They also hit one Lukman Obarayi and Oseni Adeboye with stick and caused dislocation on his right hand which is punishable under Section 355 of Criminal   Code Laws   of Ogun State”.

The defendants counsel, Mr. Oke Ade, pleaded with the court to grant the accused bail.

Oke,   who argued that the suspects were picked by policemen at various arreas  of Abeokuta after the incident,   said  that there was no evidence that they committed the offence.

But the request was opposed by  the prosecutor who said  the suspects would cause more mayhem  if they were released, adding that  most of them were foreigners who could jump bail.

Meanwhile, the magistrate, Anthony   Araba, granted them bail in the sum of   N100,000 each  and one surety in like sum with evidence of tax payment and warned that a repeat of the offence would make them rot in jail.

In a related development, Ogun State government has advised  the leadership of transport unions operating in its motor parks to  maintain the peace.

General Manager, State Parks and Garages Development Board , Alhaji Ola-ayo Ogunsolu, in a letter to major stakeholders over the upsurge in insecurity allegedly sparkedly by motorcycle owners and riders in the state, said that the caution came due to  the emergence of  unaccredited groups in the motorcycle sub-sector. According to him, this has degenerated into misunderstanding and clashes between the accredited and non accredited motorcycle groups.

He   stressed that   the two recognized motorcycle operation unions in the state are ACCOMORAN  and Articulate Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (AMORAN).

Ogunsolu added that the unions have been scheduled   to operate on “one week work and one week off”  basis at the motor parks.