Commercial motorcyclists in Ekiti State, under the auspices of Okada Riders Association, have said 23 of their members were murdered by unknown assailants during the last three months.
This came as the state’s police command cautioned commercial motorcyclists against working after 10:00 p.m. to curb the ugly incidents.
Chairman of the association, Kunle Asaolu, made the disclosure yesterday during an emergency parley between members of the association and representatives of the Ekiti State Police Command, held at Fajuyi Pavilion, Ado Ekiti.
He said: “In the last three months, they have killed 23 okada riders. That is why we conveyed this meeting, to let the riders know what is going on. We decided to summon this emergency meeting to give them this information.
“We don’t want this to continue. That is why we want to let them know because an injury to one is an injury to all. We are very sad about it. At times, they use money to entice the riders. For a destination that is not far, they will pay between N3,000 and N5,000, instead of N500, so that the rider will jump at the offer without knowing that it would cost his life.”
The representative of the police at the meeting, Chief Superintendent Victor Akinsanya, said the rate at which riders in the state capital were being killed called for concern, noting that all hands must be on deck to fish out the perpetrators.
According to him, henceforth, commercial motorcyclists would not be allowed to work beyond 10:00 p.m.. He also advised motorcyclists to supply credible intelligence to security agencies to help curb the menace.
Akinsanya also charged them to obey traffic rules, ensure registration of their motorcycles, and desist from taking passengers to unknown locations.
