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The Lagos State Police Command has launched a manhunt for commercial motorcyclists, commonly known as “Okada riders,” following the alleged attack and murder of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) during a traffic enforcement operation in the Agege area on Saturday morning.
According to eyewitness accounts, the incident unfolded in the early hours when the police officer led a team to the scene of an accident at the WEMCO junction on Mobil Road, where tensions were already high.
During the confrontation, the police team faced hostility from the Okada riders, who were dissatisfied with how the officers were managing the situation. Reports indicate that the ASP became a target for the mob, while his colleagues managed to flee from the unprovoked attack.
In the aftermath of the incident, police have arrested at least five suspects, with efforts to locate additional individuals involved in the attack continuing.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Lagos State Police Command, confirmed the situation, labeling the violence as “needless and uncalled for.” He explained that the police received a distress call around 1:40 AM regarding a fatal accident involving an Okada rider and a trailer at the WEMCO junction.
Hundeyin stated that the police responded promptly to the scene, where it was discovered that an Okada rider had collided with the trailer, resulting in the rider’s death.
Upon arrival, the police encountered a large crowd of motorcycle riders gathered at the site. While the patrol team attempted to remove the truck involved in the accident, they were attacked by the riders, who reportedly attempted to set the truck on fire. During the chaos, the ASP, 46, sustained a fatal head injury and died at the scene, while the truck driver managed to escape.
Five individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident, and the search for other suspects continues.
