Police operatives and commercial motorcyclists known as Okada riders are again engaged in a clash in the popular Iyana-Ipaja bus stop, Lagos.
The Herald gathered that the policemen fired at the hoodlums, who retaliated with stones and other dangerous weapons.
It was also gathered that the clash was not related to the ban on Okada from highways in some parts of Lagos. Some of the hoodlums have been arrested with passers-by subjected to routine security checks.
Recall that the clash between commercial cyclists and policemen in Ijora, Apapa, Lagos state on Monday, February 3, left three people dead.
The Herald gathered that two of the victims were hit by stray bullets allegedly from the police team that attempted to disperse a riotous crowd of the operators.
The third victim was a tri-cyclist alleged to be among those stoning commuters in commercial buses in protest of the ban on commercial motor and tricycles across six local government areas of the state which took effect on Saturday.
Operators, however, held a protest march at Ikeja and Ogba axis where they appealed to the government to reconsider the decision. The protesters were led by members of the civil society and a pan-Yoruba youth group.
Shouting in Yoruba language, one of the protesters said: “Please help us beg Sanwo-Olu o! Does he want us to start stealing or snatching people’s bags? He did not give us any work as an alternative. Please help us beg him o!”
According to a witness, Busayo Afolabi, people ran in different directions when the cops started shooting.
She said: “Ikeja is in shambles. These policemen are parading the streets with guns in their hand. They are shooting and throwing teargas in Ikeja. People are running.”