The task force had seized many motorcycles for violating an order not to operate on the expressway but the riders responded by burning tyres and other substances in the capital city, causing unrest.
There was tension in Abuja on Monday as some commercial motorcycle riders, popularly called Okada riders, took to the streets to protest against the confiscation of their motorcycles by the Federal Capital Territory Administration Task Force.
The task force had seized many motorcycles for violating an order not to operate on the expressway but the riders responded by burning tyres and other substances in the capital city, causing unrest.
An eyewitness told SaharaReporters that motorbike riders also clashed with the police.
“They became violent and started burning and throwing things; it became really scary,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
The incident happened at about 11.30 am in Gosa, a community along International Airport Road in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
However, a statement on Monday signed by the Public Relations Officer, DSP Josephine Adeh on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, FCT Police Command, Abuja, said the situation has been brought under control.
The statement with Ref No: AZ:2550/FCT/PPRO/VOL.10/44 is titled ‘FCT Police Restore Normalcy To Airport Road Taskforce/Okada Unrest’.
The statement reads in part, “Today 8th August 2022 at about 11:30 am, reports of civil unrest broke out around the Airport express road near Gosa market in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
"The incident which soon attracted many false narratives was merely an uncultured display of dissatisfaction by commercial Motorcycle riders popularly called Okada who took to the streets burning tires and other substances following the activities of the Task Force who had earlier confiscated some motorcycles for certain violations.
"Upon the receipt of the information, Police Operatives from Iddo Divisional Police Headquarters were swiftly drafted to the scene where necessary measures were taken to restore peace and normalcy to the situation.
"Consequent upon the above, Members of the public are urged to eschew the generation and promulgation of fake news or contrary narratives and to go about the discharge of their lawful businesses without the fear of harassment or molestation of any kind or from any quarters.
"Meanwhile, Monitoring and surveillance continue on the scene while an effort is ongoing to arrest miscreants responsible for the disturbance of public peace.
"The Commissioner of Police, CP Babaji Sunday psc while reassuring the residents of the command’s unflinching commitment to bringing crime and criminality to the barest minimum, noted that the burning of combustible material on tarred roads amounts to the vandalization of Government properties and the full wrath of the law will be meted out on erring person(s).”
"Meanwhile, Residents are enjoined to continue to partner with the police as touching the prompt, concise and accurate rendition of information through the following emergency lines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883, while the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) desk, could be reached on: 0902 222 2352," the statement added.