Commercial motorcyclists invade Abuja estate, set security post on fire over their colleagues’ death

Angry commercial motorcyclists, popularly called okada riders, in their dozens, attacked a residential estate, Same Global Estate in the Lokogoma area of Abuja on Sunday to avenge the death of two colleagues.

The incident happened after a motorist reportedly hit the Okada riders on Sunday in yet unclear circumstances.

The motorist, fearing for his life, ran into the estate with a mammoth crowd of okada men in hot pursuit.

The security guards of the estate were said to have quickly shut the estate gate when they saw the mass of angry okada men running towards the estate.

The okada riders reportedly set fire on two buildings in the estate, believed to be housing the estate’s security guards.

Other buildings within the estate were vandalized by missiles hauled by the okada riders.

The damage was minimized because of the quick thinking of the security men who barricaded the entrance against the invaders. That reportedly slowed down their momentum as it took them a lot of time to pull down the gate.

Policemen and other security operatives were said to have arrived by the time they gained access. The security men were able to prevent further damage to the estate and preserve the lives of the residents.

The Estate Manager, Mr Adebisi Adelowo, told the newspaper, “Over 100 Hausa bike riders attacked our estate some hours ago. They tried to burn down the estate by putting fire on two buildings.

“They pulled down our gate and started stoning people’s houses. We couldn’t stop them until the police and the army intervened.

“We later learnt that they attacked our estate because two of their colleagues were knocked to death by a motorist who ran to our estate for safety as he was being chased with big stones and other dangerous weapons.

“The motorist who is not even a resident of our estate ran into the estate because he noticed a police post in front of the estate.”