The incident occurred at Area 1 at about 6:00 pm while people were returning home from work. It led to the destruction of many vehicles as the angry motorcyclists descended on anything in sight, including moving vehicles.
Scores of commercial motorcycle riders on Tuesday went on a rampage in Abuja over the alleged killing of two of their fellow riders and seizure of motorbikes by the Nigeria police.
The incident occurred at Area 1 at about 6:00 pm while people were returning home from work. It led to the destruction of many vehicles as the angry motorcyclists descended on anything in sight, including moving vehicles.
Many people were reportedly injured during the incident.
An eyewitness who spoke to SaharaReporters said the motorcyclists who were on a revenge mission blocked a major road and attacked many vehicles with stones and sticks.
"The situation is getting serious at Area 1. We heard that two of their members were killed by police and they are angry and they attacked people randomly. They destroyed many vehicles on the expressway. They were just throwing stones at all vehicles, breaking their windscreens," the eyewitness said.
The incident forced people to run helter-skelter in search of safety.
SaharaReporters gathered that it took the intervention of armed policemen from Durumi Divisional Police Headquarters to disperse the riotous crowd.
As of the time of filing this report, the angry mob had regrouped under a bridge where they set a bonfire, thereby causing more tension for the residents in the area.
Reacting to the incident, the FCT Police Spokesperson, DSP Josephine Adeh, in a statement said no life was lost in the incident.
She added that about 20 motorcycles were seized by the operatives of the Durumi Divisional Police Headquarters for violating the ban on motorcycles in some parts of the FCT.
She said, "Following the ban of motorcycles in some parts of the FCT by the FCTA, the FCT Command having held several meetings with the various heads of motorcycle units across the Territory activated an enforcement exercise at the various Divisional and Area command AORs.
"Today 26th July 2022, motorcycles numbering about 20 were arrested by Operatives of the Durumi Divisional Police Headquarters on an Enforcement round for violating the ban.
"The motorcycles were taken to the Division and subsequently handed over to the VIO for screening. Upon sighting the VIO at the Division, the errant motorcyclists in their number decided to obstruct the VIO from moving out of the station and started attacking the officers.
"The police swung into action, dispersing the violent motorcycles who took to the street to express their displeasure. No life was lost nor properties damaged. Normalcy has since been restored. The command urges members of the public not to panic, and to go about their lawful business while monitoring of the area and surveillance continues."