Christopher Oji
Two policemen and two paramilitary officers attached to the Lagos State Task Force were at the weekend injured by commercial motorcycle operators (okada riders) during enforcement duty on restricted routes in Lagos.
Seven persons have been arrested and charged to court in connection with the attack.
The attack on the security men were allegedly done by okada riders plying restricted routes around Oworonsoki, Adeniji Adele junction, Obalende, Falomo, Lekki Phase 1 and Ikon link-bridge areas of the state.
The chairman of the task force, Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed that motorcycle operators attacked officers of the agency with stones, bottles and iron-rod while on legitimate mission to arrest motorcycle operators plying restricted routes.
Egbeyemi disclosed further that four officers of the agency comprising two policemen and two paramilitary officers were seriously injured with deep cuts on their heads, faces and legs as they were pelted with stones, bottles and beaten with iron rods and wood.
He said, however, that the officers were not deterred as they were able to arrest seven persons and impounded 92 motorcycles plying restricted routes, including highways and bridges.
He said: “During the enforcement operations, some suspected motorcyclists started shouting and calling the attention of their colleagues in their native languages. Thereafter, other motorcycle operators from nowhere started throwing stones, bottles and iron rods at my officers.”
Egbeyemi enjoined other stakeholders to support the agency in curbing the menace of okada riders it was worrisome seeing motorcycle operators shuttling and struggling the right of way with motorists on Ikoyi link-bridge, Falomo, Lekki Phase 1, Adeniji Adele and Obalende.
“The government will no longer tolerate attacks on officers and men of the agency. Just recently, a police officer with the agency died as a result of serious injury he sustained from hoodlums while on enforcement duty around Mile 12 area,” he said.
He said the state Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, condemned the attack and warned that the police under his watch would no longer tolerate criminal attacks and assault on personnel or facilities.
The CP urged Egbeyemi to immediately charge the suspects to court.
The suspects were immediately arraigned in court as directed by the CP to serve as deterrent to others who may want to attack officers on duties.