Okada Riders Fight: Lagos Police Denies Rumors Of Ethnic Clash, Restore Normalcy At Iyana-Iba Axis

Police officials in the area

Following the clash between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and okada riders due to the increment in tariff on Monday, April 26, the Lagos State Police Command has waded into the situation and restored normalcy to the Iyana Iba/Alaba Rago and Ojo areas of the state.

A statement released by CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, states that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered for immediate deployment of additional police personnel to the area to maintain law and order as he also directed the Area Commander, Area E Festac, to personally be on ground to monitor the situation and invite the leaders of the affected Okada riders unit for an urgent meeting.

Adejobi also debunked rumors that the crisis had an ethnic undertone.

''The Command wishes to debunk the rumor that the disgreement, not violence as being peddled in the social media, was between some ethnic groups. Without mincing words, the incident has no ethnic colouration whatsoever but a mere conflict between transport unions and their okada units on ticketing and increment in tariff.'' the statement in part read.

Adejobi enjoined members of the public, especially those around the areas, including the students of the Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, to go about their lawful businesses and studies respectively, as adequate deployment has been done to fortify security in the axis and by extension, in Lagos State in general.