Lagos again erupted in violence today as a crowd of protesters challenging the recent ban on commercial motorcycle and tricycle by the state government clashed with security agents at Iyanna Ipaja bus stop, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
The initially peaceful protest which began on Tuesday escalated into violence as police fired teargas canons at the protesters who were also armed with different offensive weapons, throwing objects at the policemen.
Reports had it that the protesting motorcyclists/tricyclists began the violence, throwing stones and other dangerous weapons at operatives of the Lagos State Police Command. The police in retaliation fired crowd dispersing weapons, like teargas at the hoodlums, leading to a bloody clash.
This apparently infuriated the protesters who were able to set a police patrol van on fire before moving on to smash cars and other vehicles in the vicinity, belonging to innocent people.
In the course of the protest now in its second day, the motorcyclists/tricyclists, joined by hoodlums, blocked the expressway and prevented motorists and other road users from free movement. Security agents efforts to clear the blockade and disperse the protesters reportedly led to the violence.
According to an eyewitness, similar clash between motorcycle riders and the Police took place in Apapa and Surulere areas of the state.
The clash, which arose from the recent ban on Okada from highways in some parts of Lagos, has imposed untold hardships on commuters, in spite of the Lagos State Government’s best efforts to ease the burden of movement from one point to the other in the metropolis by providing additional buses and ferries.
While some passengers continued the third day of stressful long treks and endless hours at most bus stops in the State waiting for the State-approved BRT Buses, others have had to stay at home or commute within their area, hoping for the situation to normalize.
The ban, which also affected Oride, Gokada and other motorcycle hailing services, took effect from Saturday, February 1, 2020.
According to the Lagos State govt, Apapa, Yaba, Surulere, Ikeja, Lagos Island, Ikoyi Obalende, Lagos Mainland, Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda are the areas affected by the ban.
