Okada ban: Policemen disgraced after impounding power bike in Lagos

Some operatives of the Lagos State Police Command were reportedly disgraced today after they seized a power bike belonging to a man who was on his way to work.

According to the man identified as Nmutaka Chikwendu, he was accosted by the officers while riding his bike to the office.

It was gathered that the policemen were trying to impound the bike over claims that the rider flouted the order of the state government proscribing the operation of Okada and Keke in 15 local council areas and major highways in Lagos.

Despite warning from the Lagos State government and the Police Command that power and dispatch riders are exempted from the ban placed on the operations of motorcycles and tricycles in the state, police officers have been seen in several viral photos and videos impounding power bikes and dispatch riders.

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the officers on Wednesday, Chikwendu said despite intervention from passersby and other onlookers telling the policemen that power bike is not in the category of bikes banned by the government, they refused to release the bike until a passerby put a call through to the State Police Command and other top hierarchy in the police force.

Chikwendu wrote:

“So…..I was heading to work this morning dodging massive potholes and meandering through heavy traffic. The Nigerian Police decided to arrest me because “bikes are banned”. The 2 things that stood out for me the most were:

“1. The speed with which a huge crowd built up. Within a short while people were yelling at the cops. “Is this one okada”? 2. How unintelligent our cops are. A team of four senior officers with guns could not say anything meaningful beyond “they sent us signal to arrest all bikes”

“A good Samaritan parked his car…showed them the broadcast sent by Lagos state police command. They refused to read it. He then called the numbers in the broadcast for all to hear, the police command asked if it was okada and the whole crowd roared “No!”

“Our street crew cops refused to budge. The Samaritan eventually called their DPO who asked them to release me….then they started looking for one Officer Ojo of Ifako police station who took my bike key and went away. Crowd kept building…..policemen became scared. Tried to disperse crowd. People refused to budge. I actually started getting worried and started asking people to leave. They said they wouldn’t move until I was released.

“Eventually the Ojo fellow sauntered out with my key and I started my bike….revved it a few times which drew cheers from the crowd…..and continued heading to work.”