The Lagos State Police Command has announced that suspected motorcyclists, commonly known as Okada riders, whose motorcycles were recently seized, are believed to be behind the alleged attack on a BRT bus on Wednesday in the Orile area of Lagos.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the Command’s spokesperson, shared this information during an interview with the media in Lagos on Friday.
Hundeyin clarified that the incident was not an armed robbery but rather a protest by the motorcyclists in response to the seizure of their motorcycles.
He explained that the Lagos State Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit had carried out a raid targeting commercial motorcyclists operating on BRT lanes and other restricted roads. This raid resulted in the seizure of several motorcycles.
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Some of the motorcyclists reportedly resisted the police during the raid and were subsequently arrested due to their confrontational behavior.
“Some of these motorcyclists became angry and mobilized themselves to protest,” Hundeyin said. The nearest Lagos State Government facility they encountered was an approaching BRT bus.
According to Hundeyin, the motorcyclists forced the bus driver to stop and then attacked the vehicle. The driver, feeling threatened, fled the bus, leaving the riders to vandalize its windows.
While there have been claims that some passengers were robbed during the incident, Hundeyin noted that no one has come forward to report such a robbery to the police.
Saving Point Media reports that on Tuesday, the Lagos State Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit impounded 164 motorcycles on the state’s highways.
These motorcycles were reportedly in violation of the Lagos State Road Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018, which prohibits motorcyclists from using all highways in the state.
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