Witnesses have insisted that at least five people died in the clash between Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria members and okada riders in Iya Iba , Laggos yesterday, contrary to claims by the police.
MSN gathered from people who were on ground at the time of the crisis that some hapless passersby were hacked to death by the okada riders while the crisis lasted.
The witnesses agreed with the police that the crisis erupted as a result of disagreement over daily union dues.
It was learnt that a Hausa motorcyclist was accosted by the union members who asked for his daily ticket.
His inability to produce any and unwillingness to buy one allegedly led to a scuffle in which he was injured by the union members.
Other Hausa motorcyclists were aggrieved by what they perceived was a wrong done to their colleague and reportedly attacked the union members in retaliation.
The union member allegedly fought back and it escalated quickly into a free-for-all in which cutlasses, stones, sticks and guns were used, creating chaos in Iyana Iba and Okokomaiko along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
A witness who wanted anonymity claimed he saw at least one passerby hacked to death with cutlass right in front of the Lagos State University (LASU) gate.
He claimed that soldiers of the OP MESA squad were watching nearby as the Hausa okada riders were hacking the person without lifting a finger.
Another witness said at least two people were attacked with heavy sticks and cutlasses at Alaba Rago, and no one was available to rescue them from the okada riders.
He said any Igbo or Yoruba that passed the area was attacked and if they could not run fast enough, they would be dead.
“Forget what the police said. People were killed callously by those okada guys yesterday. They were bloodthirsty and attacked anyone who was not of their tribe. Properties of innocent people were damaged. Cars of people who were not union members, who were just going on their own, were vandalised, including the ones parked in front of LASU,” the source said.
The Lagos Police Command had yesterday claimed that it was not a clash, but a minor disagreement over union dues and that no life was lost. Read the report here.
