Commercial Cyclists Protest Alleged Extortion By Traffic Marshals In Osun

Commercial Motorcyclists popularly called “Okada men” in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, on Tuesday trooped out to protest alleged extortion by the state traffic marshals.

The protest started from old garage junction through to the popular Olaiya junction with the cyclists displaying various acrobatics with their motorcycles.

According to one of them who spoke with our reporter, Mr Adetoro Waliu said that most of them are students but became Okada men due to unemployment.

His words, ” Most of us are students but unemployment turned us to motorcyclists. The Osun traffic marshals N5, 000 from those caught not wearing helmet, this is too much and the painful thing is that these monies are going into their pockets, they are not asked by the Government to collect this money.”

Another cyclist Mr Jimoh Afeez, also buttressed what Waliu said, he stated that the traffic marshals are fond of extorting them of their hard earned money.

He thereby urged the State government to find a lasting solution to the issue to avoid possible future clash between the cyclists and the traffic marshals.