Lagos Okada Riders Terrify Journalist’s Family

Femi Ashekun/

A senior journalist and one-time Judiciary Editor of National Mirror newspapers, Mustapha Ogunsakin, and his family narrowly escaped the wrath of commercial motorbike riders, popularly called okada riders, who stormed his residence in Lagos yesterday.

The aggrieved okada riders, according Ogunsakin, who shared his experience on his Facebook page, claimed that one of their colleagues was robbed of his bike in front of his house the previous night.

He said at a point during the terrifying encounter, the invaders claimed that those who attacked their colleague came from inside his compound.

He eventually managed to appease the predominantly Fulani mob through the intervention of a man identified as their leader, who persuaded his colleagues to report the incident at the police station.

Read Ogunsakin’s account of the incident below:

It was like watching a Nollywood movie. A team of commercial motorcycle riders numbering more than 30 stormed the gate of my house around 12.30pm claiming that thieves snatched a motorcycle from them in front of my house.

They were led by a man who claimed to be their Chairman, a Yoruba, and two other Yoruba men. The rest were Hausa/Fulani boys, some apparently even too young to ride motorcycles. They claimed to be from Abesan Estate.

According to them, one of them brought a passenger to the front of my house from Abesan and he was attacked, and had his motorcycle snatched. They further claimed that the snatchers came from inside my gate.

My house at White House, Ajasa-Command, Ipaja is a distance of about 10 kilometers to Abesan Estate. I live alone with my wife and three kids. The eldest of my children is in the University. My gate is always locked. I have no gateman or security man. I have four Alsatian dogs that keep away intruders and barks whenever anyone is at the gate.

I have been at home since Friday evening. The heavy rains that fell on Saturday effectively grounded me at home. The same reason why I could not go to church on Sunday morning, besides the fear of Covid.

You can then imagine my shock when these strange people stormed my gate, with their strange accusations. Akoba, adaba!!!!

I calmly explained to their Chairman that their claim is strange as I had been at home since Friday. I have no tenant and my gate is always locked, therefore, it is practically impossible for anyone to open my gate to carry out any nefarious activity.

He seems to understand my position. He told me they will go to the police station to lodge a complaint.

My wife was shaken and I just managed to stay calm. I also proceeded to Meiran Police Station to lodge a complaint.

Both parties met at the station. I identified myself to the officer, one Supol Ifeanyi, who handled the case. Apart from being a Media Practitioner, I am the Vice Chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA).

Supol Ifeanyi handled the matter very professionally by asking them to lodge their complaint. He said an IPO will be assigned to investigate the case. He thanked me for coming to the station and said the police will investigate the matter.

My wife is still badly shaken. She still fears that considering stories we’ve heard about the commercial riders, they can still come back.

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