3 killed as police, Okada operators clash in Lagos

Although normalcy has returned to the area, controversy has continued
to trail the alleged killing of three people at Iyana School Bus Stop,
along LASU-Iba Road, Lagos State on Friday.

Contrary to reports that commercial cyclists in the area attacked a
team of policemen from Isashi Division led by the Station Officer (SO)
and the Operations Officer, investigations revealed that policemen
from the Division stormed the Okada park at Iyana School Bus Stop,
seizing commercial bikes, an action that was met with heavy resistance
from the cyclists who alleged that the ban on Okada in Lagos State did
not apply to the area.

Trouble started when the officers allegedly started shooting
sporadically which sources said resulted in the death of three
persons.

A food vendor (Iya Bukola), who claimed to have witnessed the
incident, told Sunday Vanguard the story: "We were all here when
policemen came to the park and started seizing bikes from the Okada
riders. When the Okada riders resisted, they started shooting
sporadically and they killed two people instantly while several others
escaped with gun shot wounds. When the shooting started I ran out of
my shop for fear of being hit by stray bullet. It was while I was
running that I fell down and sustained this injury on my leg", she
narrated.

Lamenting, Abimbola Aliu, a commercial cyclist, said, "See how they
have changed the story, they said we attacked them. Is it possible for
Okada riders to attack the police? The law of restriction on certain
routes by the state government does not affect this place. So when
they said they were attacked by commercial bike operators at a black
spot, they should please show the world where the black spot is at
Iyana School Bus Stop. We have been enduring all this intimidation and
it has become unbearable. One of the victims was at the car wash when
a bullet hit him".

Confirming the report, Lagos State Deputy Police Public Relations
Officer (DPPRO), Mr Lelma Kolle, said police men from Isashi Division
were detailed to storm a black spot after receiving series of
complaints about criminal activities of hoodlums and, on their way,
some Okada riders, who misconstrued the mission of the police, started
pelting the team with stones and the police avoiding confrontation
with the Okada riders, retreated and ran back to the station

Kolle said the Okada riders pursued the police to the station and
attempted to burn down the station.

He said to prevent them from carrying out their dastardly act, the
police fired into the air to scare them away but two of the Okada men
were shot in the legs.

"As I am talking to you, the two injured persons are responding to
treatment in hospital", he said.

He said that police preliminary investigation showed that some
hoodlums who cashed in on the situation later engaged in a free for
all and one of them was stabbed to death.