Commercial motorcyclists, known as Okada riders, in Zaki-Biam, Ukum Local Government, Benue State on Saturday clashed with policemen over the killing of their colleague by a policeman.
The clash was so intense that it disrupted commercial activities in the area as irate okada riders took to the Katsina -Ala highway, using the body of their dead colleague to block the road in protest.
An eyewitness told the Punch that trouble started after a policeman tried to arrest an Okada rider for contravening traffic rule.
“While trying to get himself together, policemen, on sighting him, quickly ran to the scene of the incident, seized his motorcycle and accused him of contravening traffic order.
according to the eyewitness, the okada rider pleaded with the policemen, even after the passerby had left the scene, but the policemen insisted that he (Okada rider) would be arrested.
While they were arguing another policeman joined them and hit the okada rider on the head with the butt of a pistol and he immediately slumped and died.
Another eyewitness, Mark-bull who is also an Okada rider told the newspaper that okada riders have suffered series of harassment from the police in the Zaki-biam axis.
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