Okada riders protest over Incessant Killings, Bike Snatching In Gboko, Benue 

From Attah Ede Makurdi 

Commercial motorcycle riders, widely known as Okada riders, on Friday, embarked upon wide protest in Gboko, the  traditional headquarters of Tiv nation in Benue State over persistent killing of their members and snatching of motorcycles by suspected criminal elements.

The protest, started in the early hours of Friday, where hundreds of the Okada riders barricaded all major roads in Gboko town, thereby preventing vehicular movement and crippled other commercial activities in the area.

They took the  demonstration to the Gboko Local Government Council Secretariat calling the attention of the council chairman to the menace.

They were seen burning tyres and chanting solidarity songs, demanding for government attention intervention to end the situation and allow Okada riders to operate freely at any time of the day. 

The protesters however alleged that several of their members had recently fallen victim to violent attacks by unknown assailants who either kill or maim them before snatching their motorcycles.

According to the aggrieved protesters, despite their frequent reports made available to security agencies, nothing was done  to address the situation, saying that the law enforcement agents had failed to protect them by  not manning  roads at night.

One of the union leaders who spoke on condition of anonymity during the protest, noted that  Okada riders remain peace-loving citizens that are contributing  meaningfully to the local economy and deserve better protection from the government.

 He appealed Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, to urgently intervene by directing security agencies to investigate the killings and intensify patrols across Gboko and neighboring communities.

The Executive Chairman of Gboko Local Government Council Barr. Torseer Yina, while addressing  the Okada riders sympathised with them over the death of their members and lost of means of.their livelihoods.

He assured them of his maximum support  and promised to initiate necessary security measures that would curb the situation, stressing that already, he has convened a security meeting to instruct security personnel to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

Tina further condoled with the BEMOA association and the families of the slain victims and assured that justice shall be served to the affected victims.

The council  boss warned against those sponsoring insecurity in Gboko, saying that Gboko’s history of peace and the Okada riders’ past role in supporting police security efforts must be maintained.