Residents of Aboru, especially those living in streets like Alabede, Olumo, Bakare, Shoderu, Amoke Alasela, Raji Rasaki and environs, have called on the Lagos State government to caution the Task Force enforcing the ban on Okada and Marwa (tricycle) operations.
The call came as the members of the task force allegedly raided the operators on Wednesday, firing teargas deep into the streets and causing pandemonium.
One of the residents living in Olumo street, told Community Standard that the intensity of the teargass forced many to close their shops and run to safety.
Aboru road is not on the list of roads where the operation of Okada and Marwa is restricted by the government.
More so, Okada and Marwa are the major means of transportation in the area as the condition of the road is very bad.
The Chairman of Olohunsogo South Community Development Association, Mr Jamiu Yusuf, described the development as highly unfortunate.
According to him, a lot of residents could not leave their homes because of the pandemonium and the teargass that rented the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Wednesday’s deep raid into Aboru axis could not be divorced from the clash between the Task Force and Okada and Marwa Operators.
It was learnt that law enforcement officers were allegedly attacked by operators who threw harmful objects at them.
A security Hilux Van was set ablaze at the Iyana Ipaja Roundabout by the Bridge side. While bonfires were made at the Aboru junction by the Ikotun/Igando BRT pack.
Community Standard gathered Wednesday’s clash could have been an aftermath of similar raid on Tuesday which caught many of the operators, especially those plying Aboru route, unawares.
In another report, TheCable online newspaper revealed that the crisis erupted when officials of the Lagos state task force broke into apartments at Raji Rasaki street, to seize motorcycles.
The incident, according to the paper, sparked off violence as youths lit bonfires and formed barricades in the street.
The task force team allegedly seized 10 motorcycles from an apartment.
Mohammed Mohammed, one of the protesters, said the officials broke the gate to a house and shot in the air before taking away the motorcycles.
“We didn’t expect to see them because we are not working with our okada. We were inside the house when they broke in and took away our okada with force,” he said.
“They are still around Iyana-Ipaja roundabout. We will not stop burning tires until we retrieve our okada. They beat us when we didn’t do anything to them. We are going to fight back.”
The chaos has spread to Iyana-Ipaja bus stop around Abule-Egba where protesters were tear-gassed by the task force.
