Bad Sallah: Three Killed As Okada Riders Protest In Ondo

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

As Muslims brothers and sisters are celebrating this year Eid-Ed-Kabir festival across the country, things were not so for good for people of Ondo State, as hundreds of commercial motorcyclists also known as okada riders on Sallah day (Friday) took to street of Okitipupa, the headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government Area of the State, protesting the killing of three of their colleagues.

It was gathered that the three persons who were said to be commercial motorcyclists were killed by a yet to be identified motorist beside the Ondo State General Hospital Okitipupa few hours to Sallah festival.

A source said the unidentified man drove a Toyota Picnic bus and was heading towards the hospital when he hit the three men who were on a motorcycle. The trio were said to have died instantly.

The source said, ” The three men on the motorcycle were drunk and the rider was riding the motorcycle recklessly. So they crossed the vehicle going to the hospital, the bus hit them and killed the three of them on the bike.

“The three persons were later identified as members of the okada riders association in Okitipupa.”

As a result of the development the commercial riders, according to the source mobilized themselves to the scene and burnt down the bus ( the Toyota picnic) . The driver of the bus was said to have fled the scene immediately after the incident for fear of being lynched .

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Femi Joseph confirmed the incident and said the men of the command had been deployed in the area to restore normalcy.

His words, ” It was a case of an accident, the three persons on the Okada lost their lives in the accident and their colleagues were protesting but our men are already there to calm down the situation ”

Joseph however noted that there was no arrest made so far on the incident.