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Many injured as police open fire to enforce Okada ban in Lagos

Many people sustained gunshot injuries after police fired shots to control the irate Okada riders resisting seizure of their vehicles.

• May 19, 2022
Police and Okada riders
Police and Motorcyclists used to illustrate the story

On Thursday, the police in Lagos faced stiff resistance from commercial motorcyclists in the Ojo area of Lagos as they began enforce of the ban announced on Wednesday by the Lagos State government.

Many people sustained gunshot injuries in the melee that ensued after police fired shots to control the irate Okada riders resisting seizure of their vehicles.

Peoples Gazette learnt that violence broke out at about 10:00 a.m. on Thursday morning when police officers from Onireke Police Station, began clampdown on Okada riders and their motorcycles around Barracks bus stop.

The security operatives then fired gunshots into the air to scare the okada riders but some residents got hit by the stray bullets, a source told The Gazette.

Some residents sustained injuries as they scampered for safety while some group of army and anti-riot police officers intervened and calm the situation.

The state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday gave a directive on the total ban of the activities of the Okada riders in six local councils in the state.

The ban, which was billed to commence in June, was to put an end to menace of Okada riders in Lagos metropolis.

As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Police Command is yet to comment on the matter.

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