9th February, 2011
Ketu area of Lagos State, southwest Nigeria witnessed chaos this morning as a commercial motorcycle rider (okada) who was trying to evade arrest by officials of LASTMA was crushed to death by a vehicle.
In the ensuing riot by okada riders , two BRT buses were burnt in Ketu as the protesting riders blocked the expressway causing traffic gridlock in the area.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the okada rider on Ojota-Ketu road was carrying two passengers, while plying the expressway and was pursued by two LASTMA officials.
The two passengers escaped leaving the okada rider to his fate as LASTMA officials were about to catch up with him.
The okada rider used the service lane where he ran into an on coming vehicle, which crushed him and he died instantly.
Other okada riders descended on some Bus Rapid Transit BRT buses and smashed them. Two of the buses were eventually burnt. Other BRT buses made a detour from the troubled scene.
The motorcyclists also pursued LASTMA officials who took to their heels to avoid being lynched by the mob.
Policemen from Ketu Police Station who arrived the scene to salvage the situation shot into the air to scare away the protesters. This led to pandemonium.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga