Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Residents of Akoko area of Ondo State now live in apprehension following the influx of many strange people into the town.
It was gathered that strange commercial motorcycle operators popularly called ‘Okada riders’ who are of northern extraction were seen in the area since the week began.
Some of the towns in the area where the Hausa motorcyclists operate include Ikare-Akoko, Akungba-Akoko, Arigidi and Ugbe-Akoko among others.
It was learnt that passengers who patronise okada riders are having difficulty in communicating with the operators as a result of language barrier.
Also, our reporter gathered that many of the strange okada riders were dropped from trailers in the night.
Already, traditional rulers and community leaders in the area are having divergent views on the security implications in an area where security challenges like kidnapping, ritual killings are rampart.
A monarch who is also a retired naval commodore, the Akala of Ikaram Akoko, Oba Andrew Momodu said there is need for security agents to know more about the influx of strangers.
Oba Momodu noted that there was no law that infringed freedom of movement but government owed it a duty to regularise the operation of okada through proper registration after a rider must have spent a number of years in the state .
He, however, urged all the six state governments of South West to allow traditional rulers to make an input in the recruitment of Amotekun officials so as to give them more credible elements to serve.
Another traditional ruler, the Oluyani Iyani in Akoko North West local government area of the state, Oba Sunday Daudu, who was kidnapped along with his deputy along Oba Akoko-Owo road expressed great concern on the influx of non indigenes particularly the okada riders and lunatics.
The monarch appealed to security agents to do more by monitoring the activities of commercial motorcyclists opersting in the evening and early mornings.
The president of market women association in Akoko Area, Chief Bosede Giwa noted that women lost their belongings to okada riders who snatched bags and engaged in other nefarious activities.