25 commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as okada riders, have been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command in connection with violent clash at the premises of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, where dozens of people were severely injured.
A running battle between the former Secretary of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, ACOMORAN, Lateef Yekini and the association’s Chairman, Alhaji Shamsudeen Apelogun brought members of the association to court, in a suit filed by the former secretary, challenging his alleged detention by the Chairman sometime ago.
However, shortly after the case was adjourned by the presiding judge to December 3, the members of the association began to fight at the court premises, leaving the state ACOMORAN Treasurer, Razaq Sotayo, critically injured.
The warring members were said to have used dangerous weapons freely, including guns and machetes.
It was the sporadic gunshots of the okada men, according to sources, that attracted the attention of security agents from the military, Police, Department of State Services, DSS and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, who restored normalcy after some of the fighters were apprehended.
The state’s Acting Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi who confirmed the incident, said that at least 25 suspects had been arrested in connection with the fracas.
According to him, normalcy had already been restored. He added that the suspects would face prosecution.
“Currently, about 25 hoodlums were arrested and they are undergoing interrogation. They are going to be screened. Those who were not part of the fracas will be definitely released.
“But those who perpetrated the act are going to be prosecuted at the law court. Few people sustained injuries, but I cannot confirm their number at the moment.
“Our own concern is to bring the situation under control and make sure those who perpetrated the act are dealt with according to the law,” he said.
